Dreaming To Reality: 02 Remix
by Yuki Ryu
Summary: The Chosen thought that with Apocalymon's defeat, peace would return to the Digital World. However, they soon discover there are more secrets to the Digital World, more danger lurking below the surface, and more than eight Chosen Children.
1. Prologue

May 15, 2000. The Digital World had healed in the months following the defeat of Apocalymon. Gennai, the wisest programmed being in the Digital World, deemed it safe once more for human habitation was to herald the return of the eight Chosen Children who saved it. He gathered their partners to an open field filled with grass and colorful flowers that danced in a gentle breeze around them. The eight Digimon – seven Child level and one Adult – stood spaced apart around Gennai, watching the clouds drift by in the blue sky, each bubbling over with anxiety as they awaited the one person who meant more to them than life.

However, the eight from Odaiba were not the first humans to set foot in the Digital World that day. A young man of comparable age to the Chosen Children stood slightly apart from the group, raking his fingers through his short, spiky brown hair, as his blue eyes shied away from meeting anyone else's gaze, despite the fact that the sky commanded the entirety of the eight Digimon's attention.

Agumon's silent vigil was interrupted when he briefly glanced Gennai's way. "Is it time yet?"

Gennai nodded to the child sized orange dinosaur as he let out an affirmative hum at the back of his throat. "Any moment now."

The tension in the air was palpable, as the small Digimon stared expectantly at the air above them. The blue skies looked so empty, save for the puffy white clouds that drifted by – it was hard to imagine anything was coming at all.

"I don't see anything," Palmon whined as her cheeks puffed up. "Are you sure Mimi's–"

No sooner had the words left the plant Digimon's mouth when a glowing ball of multi-colored light lit up the sky, forcing those gathered to cry out and shield their eyes from the glare. As the light dimmed, it allowed those brave enough to uncover their eyes an opportunity to see countless lines of computer code in the sky past the clouds for a mere moment before the orb burst with a spray of sparks.

Patamon lifted a wing to shield his eyes, squinting against the light, before he gasped and took to the air with quick flaps of his wings. "I see them, I see them! Takeruuuu!"

When the Chosen Children first arrived in the Digital World, they fell like stones from high in the sky. This time they appeared just above the ground, drifting as delicately as leaves onto the grass. They all wore different clothing and had grown in the months since they last appeared in the Digital World, but there was no way for the Digimon to mistake their precious partners.

Agumon squealed happily, as he rushed towards the goggle boy he knew so well, his tiny arms flailing. "Taaaichiii!"

Taichi was quick to recover from the slight disorientation that came from gating into the Digital World and rushed to scoop Agumon up into his arms. "Agumon!"

"Patamon!" Takeru said as he rushed towards the orange winged Digimon.

Patamon flew as fast as he could to reach Takeru, hurling himself the last few feet into his partner's arms. "Takeruuuuu!"

"Palmon!" Mimi said. Tears clouded her eyes the instant she saw Palmon and broke down crying once she had her partner back in her arms. "Palmon! I missed you so much!"

"Mimi!" Palmon sobbed as she clung to her Chosen Child.

"Hey," Yamato said as he reached down to touch Gabumon on the head. "You look good."

Gabumon blushed at the praise, which was mostly hidden by his pelt. "So do you. You look even taller than before."

Koshiro hurried towards his partner, smiling brightly. "Tentomon!"

Tentomon hovered in front of Koshiro, his expressionless face belaying the extreme joy he felt in his heart at seeing his partner again. "Koshiro! It's been such a long time."

"Sora~!" Piyomon sang happily, as she hopped over towards her Chosen Child, flapping her wings. "Sora~! Sora~!"

A quiet giggle escaped Sora as she watched Piyomon hop around her for a few moments before she finally scooped her partner up into her arms. "I can't tell you how much I missed hearing you call my name, Piyomon."

Gomamon grinned from ear to ear as he padded over to Jou. "Hey, what a coincidence! I was wondering why everyone was just waiting around. I was starting to get bored!"

Jou stared at Gomamon, briefly taken back on how to reply. For a split second, he wondered if his partner was being serious, but he quickly realized he was being teased. He thought a moment more how to respond. "In that case then think of me as a surprise present."

Hikari let out a quiet giggle as she embraced Tailmon in a tight hug. "I'm so happy to see you again, Tailmon. I thought of you every day."

Tailmon returned the hug with enthusiasm. Once the hug ended she lifted the whistle from around her neck and blew it, the sound cutting the air and causing the other Chosen to jump before turning to stare at her. She ignored their surprised gazes, focusing exclusively on Hikari's smiling face. "Welcome back, Hikari."

Hikari laughed, unable to contain her joy, and gave Tailmon another hug. "I'm home," she said instinctively.

Gennai watched the Chosen Children embrace and talk with their partners, a smile tugging at his lips. He hesitated to ruin such a peaceful scene, as he knew the eight children and eight Digimon deserved such happiness after being cruelly separated despite saving both worlds. He gave them a few more minutes to savor their reunion before he brought his fist up to his mouth and coughed loudly to disrupt the pleasant chatter. "Ahem."

All present focused their attention on Gennai, some reluctantly. That was when the eight from Odaiba realized that they were not the only children there. The young man had alternated between watching the touching reunion and focusing his attention elsewhere, such as fussing with his white gloves, purple shirt with gold chevrons on its sleeves, or his brown cargo pants. The other children had been so busy with their partners that they did not notice him before.

"So…" the young man said slowly. He scratched the back of his head as his eyes drifted to the flowers, away from the stares that bored into him. "I'm guessing you guys are the Chosen Children we've been waiting for?"

Koshiro's eyes were wide as he gawked at the stranger. The very presence of a human in the world of Digimon meant only one thing. "A… another Chosen Child?"

Taichi felt torn between intense surprise and curiosity, as he looked sized up the new Chosen. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ryo Akiyama," the boy said. He raised his eyes from the ground to look at the others, meeting their gazes only briefly. He removed his hand from the back of his head to wave as a lopsided smile tugged at his lips. "It's nice to meet you all."

Unlike Ryo, Taichi had no difficulty smiling broadly."Nice to meet you too!" He jerked a thumb at his chest. "I'm Taichi Yagami." He reached out towards Hikari, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder. "And this is my little sister, Hikari."

"Yamato Ishida," Yamato said as he nodded his head. He glanced towards Takeru. "And my little brother, Takeru."

"Sora Takenouchi." Sora said as she bowed slightly. "Pleased to meet you."

"I'm Mimi Tachikawa," Mimi said with a bright smile. "Nice to meet you."

"My name is Koshiro Izumi," Koshiro said automatically. The shock of meeting another Chosen Child still had him reeling. Just how many _were_ there?

"And I'm Jou Kido," Jou said. He bowed deeply, biting back a yelp when his glasses nearly slid off his nose, and quickly readjusted them after he straightened back up.

Hikari cocked her head slightly as she stared at Ryo with eyes that were wide and bright with curiosity. "Are you the newest Chosen Child?"

Gennai laughed lightly. "Ah, actually, it's quite funny. You're all the young ones to this ancient young man."

Taichi's expression became blank as he stared Gennai, blinking twice before he responded to such a strange statement. "Ancient?" He looked at Ryo with a more critical eye, but the other boy showed no signs of being old enough to have reached puberty yet. "But you look my age."

Ryo chuckled quietly, the sound carrying an awkward note, as the corners of his eyes crinkled. "Well… if you were born in 1988 like me then you probably are."

Taichi expressed his confusion in a wordless noise and looked at Gennai. "So what do you mean by ancient?"

Gennai gestured with a bit of a flourish towards Ryo. "Everyone, allow me to introduce to you one of the ancient Chosen Children, who fought the first enemy from beyond the Wall of Fire."

Koshiro's eyes widened. "What? But that was thousands of years ago!"

Jou stared at Ryo. Like Taichi, he saw nothing that seemed out of the ordinary about Ryo to make the newcomer appear any different from the rest of them. "So you're one of the Chosen Children from the legend?"

"That's what Gennai and I figure," Ryo said. "The legend sounded like the battle my friends and I had against Millenniumon two years ago, back in 1998."

Yamato frowned. "Two years ago?" He crossed his arms and looked between Ryo and Gennai. "That's considerably less than 'thousands.'"

Ryo scratched his head as he shifted from one foot to the other. He fumbled with his words, half speaking them before discarding them, and managing an answer after a long moment of unintelligible mumbling. "I guess… you guys never found out about the time distortion thing."

Koshiro gasped. "Of course!" He felt like striking his forehead because of how he and the others overlooked the obvious. "That was when time didn't flow normally in the Digimon World. A day here was just a minute back in the real world, so two years to us would seem like an eternity here in the Digimon World!"

Ryo relaxed his body language and nodded with a faint smile. "Right. One of my friends actually spent years here in the Digital World before I first arrived." He paused with a faint grimace. "I mean years in this world's time, not ours. In our time it'd probably be more like, uh, around a week I guess."

Takeru's eyes widened in wonder. "So there's even more Chosen? How many more?"

Ryo looked towards the sky as he rubbed his chin. "If I remember correctly, there are supposed to be only 15 of us total, but I only knew of me and my friends before I met you guys, so I guess that means there's four more out there somewhere."

Mimi placed her hand over her chest where her tag holding the Crest of Purity used to be. It had been months since she wore it around her neck. While she did not have it for that long, it still felt as though something was missing without it. "Do all of you have crests too?"

Ryo nodded as his grin broadened. "Yup. Me and my friends found ours too. All of us have one."

Hikari looked around and noticed something was amiss. She focused her perplexed gaze on Ryo. "Where is your partner?"

The change in Ryo's expression was so significant that it was as if Hikari had punched him in the stomach rather than ask an innocent question. He tried to smile, but managed only a strained grimace. He forced a laugh, a rough chuckle that carried no mirth. "I haven't found him yet."

Taichi felt thunderstruck and gawked at Ryo, letting out a wordless noise of surprise before he could articulate his confusion. "Wait, so how could you fight this Millenniumon guy without a partner?"

"I borrowed one," Ryo said. He noticed the uncomprehending looks the others gave him and made another feeble attempt at laughing away the awkwardness he felt. "It's… kind of a long story."

Tailmon focused on Ryo with a solemn gaze, her heart going out to the new Chosen. She turned to Hikari, remembering those dark days without her partner. Seeing Ryo's expression and recalling her own pain made her feel fortunate that Hikari had been ignorant of her existence, and never had to suffer from her absence.

Hikari knelt down and pulled Tailmon into a hug that was even closer than the one she gave when they reunited only minutes ago. "It's just like what happened to you, Tailmon," she said softly.

Ryo's eyebrows shot upward as he stared at Hikari and Tailmon. "You couldn't find your partner either?"

Hikari shook her head, her chin and hair brushing against the top of Tailmon's head. "I didn't even know I was a Chosen Child or that Tailmon was my partner until Wizarmon told us, but Tailmon…"

"I only knew that I was looking for _someone_, someone important," Tailmon said, her voice quiet. The expression on her face grew dark, ears canting back as her eyes narrowed into slits. "And then I was made to forget that too."

Gennai let out an excessively loud cough to draw everyone's attention. "I don't mean to interrupt, but… I'm afraid I didn't call you here just to introduce you."

Koshiro furrowed his eyebrows, growing increasingly concerned by the somber look on Gennai's face. "What is it?"

Yamato's expression grew grim, as terrible possibilities immediately sprang to mind. "Does it have anything to do with Diablomon?"

Taichi felt his adrenaline spike at the very notion that Diablomon had survived their last encounter. "Did we miss one of his copies?"

"Diablomon is dead, so there's no need to worry about _him_," Gennai said. "However…"

Jou swallowed hard to alleviate the sudden dryness in his throat. "However?"

"There's still the matter of the one who sent Diablomon to your world in the first place." Gennai said.

Koshiro's face went pale. "'Sent'? But that Digimon… Diablomon was made out of a conglomeration of various computer bug fragments that gained sentience. How could it be 'sent' by _anyone_?"

Taichi clenched his fists. "I thought we defeated all the evil Digimon in the Digimon World when we destroyed Apocalymon."

"A 'seed' of evil was planted in what you call the Internet," Gennai said, slowly. "It germinated and became the Digimon you all know as Diablomon."

Sora felt a fresh wave of guilt rush through her at the memory of Diablomon. She had not been aware of the fight at all because she got into an argument with Taichi that seemed not only silly in retrospect, but ungrateful as well. She could still remember how confused and hurt he looked when she snapped at him for giving her a hairclip. They talked things out and made up since then, but it did not stop her from being unhappy with her behavior at the time. It really was unfair of her. She gave herself a mental shake to get her mind back on the present and focus on the current threat rather than fixating on past mistakes. "But why? Why would someone do such a thing?"

"Chaos, disorder, destruction," Gennai said. "Attention."

"It was a diversion," Ryo said. "Millenniumon wanted to make sure both our groups wouldn't meet and that you wouldn't help me and my friends stop his plan. That's why he sent Diablomon to distract you."

Yamato scowled. "So this Millenniumon is behind it?" He curled one hand into a fist, gripping it tightly in the other. "If he wants a fight, he'll get one!"

"Unfortunately," Gennai said, "a conventional fight is out of the question."

Mimi felt her heart leap at the suggestion. The idea of getting into another battle, especially right after she and Palmon finally reunited, was just too much for her to bear. She would do almost anything to avoid another conflict. "You mean we don't have to fight again?"

Gennai smiled kindly at Mimi. "No, you don't have to fight."

Takeru's eyes were wide with confusion and curiosity. "Why not?"

The warm smile disappeared from Gennai's face. A shadow fell across his eyes and his voice carried a grave weight that made all present feel uneasy. "Because you would be killed if you tried, without question."

Wordless cries of confusion, outrage, and concern broke out across the group. Taichi was the first to speak up, rage boiling hot within his blood. "What do you mean? Are you saying Millenniumon is more powerful than Apocalymon and Diablomon?"

Gennai's expression and tone did not falter under the intense stares of the Chosen. "Millenniumon is beyond every one of you, as you are right now." He focused on Taichi and Yamato in particular, who seemed ready to blurt out some form of protest. "Not even your combined power would be enough to defeat him. Sending you to fight Millenniumon, even with Omegamon on your side, would be no different than all of you challenging Apocalymon the very moment you first arrived in the Digital World."

"You mean…" Agumon said in a halting voice. "Back when we were all still Baby Digimon?"

The concept seemed incomprehensible to consider. The very idea that they were so powerless despite all their battles and personal growth felt like a physical blow to each of the Chosen, both children and Digimon. The pleasant atmosphere that their reunion created was gone, replaced with a growing sense of dread that hung in the air like a physical weight, threatening to smother all of them.

Taichi took a deep breath and straightened his stance, gathering his courage to face this new danger head on. "So how can we stop him?"

"That is why I have called you here," Gennai said. "I need you to lend me your strength, the power of your Crests deep inside you."

The request was one that caught all of the Chosen by surprise. The children exchanged puzzled looks before Yamato voiced their collective confusion. "Our Crests?"

Koshiro rubbed his chin. "It's true that our physical Crests are gone, but the power still exists inside us. Is that what you mean?"

Hikari glanced downward at her chest. "But how can we give them to you when they're only inside us now?"

Ryo jerked as though someone had sent a current through his body, his expression one of abject horror. "Your Crests are gone?"

Gennai glanced at Ryo, holding up a hand. "Do not be alarmed. They cannot be permanently destroyed."

Yamato snapped his head up to focus more intently on Gennai. "_What_?"

Jou readjusted the placement of his glasses to better cover his wide eyes. "You mean we can make the Crests and tags reappear?"

"Yes," Gennai said. "That's exactly what I mean. While Apocalymon destroyed your Crests, he merely destroyed their physical vessels. Like all things in the Digital World, even those regenerate with time. You are incubating your Crests inside you, and soon enough they will be whole once more."

Sora placed her hand over her chest, unthinkingly trying to feel for her Crest of Love. Though the tag was gone, she thought she could sense the familiar warmth and strength it gave her during the final battle with Apocalymon. "Inside us…?"

Mimi alternated between glancing down at her chest and Gennai, as she contemplated everything he had told them so far. "So we're going to make them reappear and you're going to take them from us? How will that help?"

"I am asking you to lend me the power inside of you in order to create a barrier to seal Millenniumon," Gennai said. "The barrier will protect this world from his power and make him unable to cause any more harm to this world or yours." He let out a sigh, and his posture became stooped, the lines on his face growing more pronounced. "Unfortunately, doing so will severely weaken all of you. It's only temporary, but you'd all require a lengthy recovery."

Taichi grimaced as he considered the implications. "So does that mean we won't be able to evolve Agumon and Gabumon into Omegamon again?"

Gennai nodded, his brow tilting in sympathy. "At least for some time."

Yamato was quiet while he digested what Gennai had told them. He did not like the idea of surrendering the power that allowed him to evolve Gabumon and protect his friends. The knowledge that there was supposedly an enemy out there that even Omegamon could not defeat was even more alarming. Giving up the only means they had to fight back seemed counter-intuitive. He could tell from the looks on the others' faces that they had similar doubts. He focused on Gennai again, seeking out any sort of uncertainty in the elderly man's face. "This is the only way?"

Gennai's regretful expression did not change. "I'm sorry, but it is," he said, softening his voice, as though it might somehow make the news easier for the children to bear. "Millenniumon is truly a terrifying opponent."

Yamato looked away to glare at the grass rather than focus on Gennai or anyone else present. The corner of his mouth pulled back and twisted, as though he had eaten something incredibly bitter, while a low growl rumbled at the back of his throat. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gabumon's look of concern as his partner touched his leg, but it did not ease his anger. "I don't like it."

Gennai looked at the Chosen of Friendship with sympathetic eyes before he turned his attention to the rest of the group. "Do you remember the time distortion that made time itself flow differently in the Digital World and the Real World?"

"Yeah," Taichi said. He would never forget that day that he returned to the Real World with Agumon while everyone else struggled for months back in the Digital World. "That's why we were only gone for only a few minutes in the Real World even though we were all here for months."

"That was Millenniumon's doing," Gennai said. "He possesses the power to manipulate time itself."

Jou let out a sharp gasp. "Really?"

Koshiro gaped openly at Gennai, as the implications hit him fully. He struggled for a moment to respond, eventually forcing out his words in a faint voice. "Time? Millenniumon can… control _time_? That can't be possible!"

Ryo's mouth set in a thin line, his eyes growing dark and distant, as though seeing something terrible in the depths of his memories. "I couldn't believe it myself at first, but I've seen it with my own eyes. Millenniumon can control time here in the Digital World. He's the one who caused the time distortion in the first place."

Most of the Chosen spoke at once, their words overlapping to the point that they became unintelligible – little more than alarmed outbursts. Gennai raised his voice so that they would hear him clearly, as well as signaling that the group quiet down and focus on him. "Fortunately he can only control time to a certain extent. He is limited to the confines of the Digital World, for now. However, he is learning more every passing day, improving his control over our world's time."

"And he's already had a lot of years to work on it," Ryo said.

Mimi shifted anxiously in place. "You mean… he could speed up the Digimon World's time all over again?"

"Yes," Gennai said. "He could also slow it down and make years pass in your world for every second you are here."

Taichi clenched his fists. The idea of leaving his family or his friends behind in a world where time passed at lightning speeds while he remained moving in slow motion was one he never relished to experience ever again. He raised one of his clenched fists. "We've got to stop him!"

Koshiro rubbed his head, as though it would ease the dizzying sensation the new information gave him. He knew the Digital World was a place where the illogical and impossible were possible, but he had a hard time simply accepting that a single entity could easily flout the laws of time and space. As much as he wanted to disbelieve the notion, experience taught him better than to just dismiss the unbelievable. "That's why you have to use the barrier, isn't it? You're planning to use it to stop him from using his power over time."

Gennai nodded as a faint smile graced his face. "Exactly."

Taichi looked around at the others, so charged with energy that he felt practically ready to punch Millenniumon in the face himself. "So what are we waiting for?" He pumped his fist into the air. "Let's make that barrier!"

Taichi's energy was infectious, helping ease the fear the other Chosen held and giving them the strength to face the new enemy at hand. Soon everyone gave their assent with nods, words, or both.

Gennai felt gratified by the children's enthusiasm. "Thank you." He reached into his jacket and pulled out something that should have been too large to be concealed by the folds of his clothes. In his hands, he held a crystal orb that was slightly larger than a softball, perfectly smooth and clear, with edges so thin that it gave the impression that it was as fragile as a large soap bubble.

Hikari peered curiously at the crystal ball, reminded of fortunetellers she saw on television. Everything she saw through the sparkling, curved surface of the crystal became distorted and strange. "What's that?"

Gennai raised the crystal to the sky so that all of the Chosen could get a good look at what he held. "Don't be alarmed. I'll merely be using this to absorb your energy."

Taichi walked over to Gennai to get a closer look at the orb. The elderly Digimon obliged his interest by lowering the crystal so that it was close enough for the Chosen of Courage to touch. Taichi examined the sphere from all angles, but found nothing that made it appear to be anything more than an oversized glass bubble. "So how do we use this?"

"Place your hand on the orb and it will do the rest," Gennai said. "You will feel yourself growing weaker, but don't be alarmed."

Taichi held up his hand and looked at his palm before turning his attention back to the orb. The second he touched the crystal, he noticed a strange sensation that emanated from it, akin to a mild electric current that traveled up his arm in a race to reach the top of his head to the tips of his toes. A gentle orange light bled into the orb as though it were made of water and swirled in a spiral until it reached the center of the sphere, growing brighter with each moment. The strange feeling intensified along with the light, but instead of bringing him pain, it made him feel weak and lethargic. He bit back the instinctive cry building at the back of his throat as his legs slowly turned to jelly. Just when he feared that he might faint, the sensations ceased with an abruptness that sent the Chosen of Courage reeling with the feeling of freefall. His feet fumbled to find the something solid, but he only managed to take two steps before his backside collided with the ground, crushing a few of the pretty flowers.

"Taichi!" Sora gasped as she hurried to his side. "Are you alright?"

Agumon was not far behind Sora. "Taichi!" He grasped Taichi's arm, mindful of his claws. "Does it hurt?"

"Y-yeah," Taichi said, his voice faint. He tried his best to give Sora and Agumon both a reassuring smile, but his expression was too haggard to pull it off convincingly. "Don't worry about it. I'm just a bit tired."

Gennai looked from Taichi to the orb he held, which glowed a bright orange, then smiled at the dazed goggle boy. "Thank you for lending me your Courage."

Hikari moved to Taichi's side, worry etched on her features, as she looked him over with as much care as he did with her whenever she was under the weather. "Did that crystal make you feel sick?"

Taichi let out a shaky note of laughter as he smiled weakly and waved off their concern. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"A good meal and plenty of rest, and you'll feel better in no time," Gennai said. He turned his gaze from Taichi towards the other children and held out the orb at arm's length. "I will understand if you are hesitant to continue."

Yamato stared at Taichi for a good long moment. The Chosen of Courage seemed weary, but not injured or sickly. Once he was satisfied that there seemed to be no significant or lasting damage, he focused on the orb. He steeled his nerves, telling himself that he could not back down from a challenge Taichi already accepted, and placed his hand on the crystal. His air fled his lungs in a gasp, as the electric current running through his body caught him by surprise and swept his energy away. A soft blue light seeped into the orb to join the orange at its center, the two colors coiling together but never mixing, both clear and distinct. The process lasted no more than a minute, but it felt at least ten times as long to the Chosen of Friendship. When the strange sensations left him, he tried valiantly to remain upright, but ultimately collapsed beside Taichi with a cry.

The sight was too much for Takeru to bear. He called out to Yamato as he ran to his brother's side. "Are you okay?"

Gabumon was not far behind Takeru. "Yamato!"

Yamato sighed as he allowed Gabumon to help him sit up. "I'm fine." That just… really took it out of me."

Mimi held a hand over her mouth, shifting from foot to foot. She looked from the tired boys to Palmon and then finally the crystal. It was so beautiful, yet touching it seemed to be an unpleasant experience. However, what was more unbearable was waiting to find out just how awful it would be. She felt afraid and wanted to whine until someone figured out a way to avoid using the crystal. "I don't like this at all…" Despite her misgivings, she held her breath and forced herself to move forward and take her turn. The wait, she rationalized, would just make it worse. The shock the orb jolted through her body as it took her energy caused her to shriek, more from alarm than from any real pain. She dimly heard Palmon cry out her name and she forced herself to answer, though her voice trembled. "I-I'm okay!"

When Mimi's green energy joined the blue and orange she simply let herself fall, shaken but relieved. She expected to hit the ground, but was startled to find a pair of arms catching her at the last second.

"Mimi!" Jou said, his voice filled with concern as he gently lowered Mimi down on the ground. "Are you okay?"

"Mimi!" Palmon was practically crying as she rushed to her Chosen's side. "Mimiiii!"

Mimi shook her head, as though it might help clear it and make her forget the experience. "Th-that scared me." She gave her best smile to Palmon, though fatigue made it less chipper than normal. "I'm fine. Thank you."

Koshiro was careful to step around his friends as he approached Gennai. He looked over the orb, fascinated its existence. He wanted to ask what sort of programming code went into its creation so that he could analyze it further, but decided to wait until after he donated his energy. He flinched as the process began, but otherwise kept still, focusing intently on the purple glow that spilled into the crystal. He wanted to know more of how the process worked to manifest his energy into a physical form and store it like a battery, but he found his thoughts growing heavy. "Amazing," he said in a quiet murmur before his fingers slipped from the surface of the crystal and he fell to his knees.

"Koshiro." Tentomon moved over to Koshiro's side, flying beside his Chosen's head. "Don't overdo it."

Jou brushed away the small beads of sweat that formed on his face before he slid his glasses back into their proper position. He gazed at the orb with a sickening sense of apprehension. Something about the situation gave him a bad feeling that he could not define, but as the oldest among the Chosen, he had to set a good example. The fact that most everyone else already went before him just added more pressure for him to accept this responsibility, no matter his misgivings. He refused to let anyone down.

Gritting his teeth, Jou stepped forward to take hold of the crystal in both hands. He had hoped keeping his mouth firmly shut would prevent him from crying out, but found himself mistaken, as the energy being sucked from his body was a sensation too foreign and unexpected for him to hold himself back. He tried to focus on the wonder he felt when seeing glowing silver spill into the orb like liquid, but the strange feelings proved far too distracting for him to receive any real pleasure from the experience. He yelped when the process ended, and collapsed onto the ground in an undignified heap with a grunt.

After seeing the others take their turns, Gomamon did not feel particularly alarmed, so he moved to Jou's side without any real hurry. Though he could not help but be concerned for his partner, he was not the type of person to worry excessively, especially since everyone else stated the process was more surprising than anything else. "Oi, oi, be careful. There's no one big enough left to catch you."

"It's my turn," Sora said, her voice shaking. Touching the orb did not look dangerous, but it obviously was not a pleasant experience either. She tried to remind herself that she was braver than she felt at that moment. She had faced far worse things than this only less than a year ago. With a quick glance at the others, she took her turn to touch the orb. She flinched when the process started and watched the red of her energy pool into the crystal, joining the others in a brilliant swirling rainbow.

Piyomon flapped her wings and hovered around Sora's head as her partner wobbled. "Sora? Do you need me to find something for you to eat? Eating will help you regain your strength."

Sora wiped the sweat from her brow as she smiled weakly. She was surprised that she had somehow found the strength to remain standing when everyone else immediately collapsed. She carefully sat down on the ground just in case she overestimated how she was feeling. "I'm fine, I'm just a little weak…"

Hikari looked from Taichi to the others who had gone before her, then finally turned to Gennai. She failed to see why everyone seemed so nervous before donating energy to the crystal. After all, it was necessary to help the world Tailmon lived in, and the idea seemed no different than using their Digivices to evolve their partners. "I'll go next."

Takeru looked up at Hikari, blinking, and then frowned. He did not like the idea of letting her go through the process that drained the others due to how fragile her health was, according to what Taichi had told him and what he had seen during their adventure. He knew that he could not stop her, and, in fact, it was downright necessary that she do it – the same for him. However, he made a promise to protect her. How could he protect her from something she needed to do, something she would do _anyway_?

After a moment's hesitation, Takeru figured out what he needed to do. He clamored to his feet and raced past Hikari, snatching the orb just before she could touch it. Despite the surreal sensations that shot through his body, he managed to give her a brave smile. "Let me do it, just to make sure it's really safe!"

Hikari jumped when Takeru rushed past to take her place. She did not know what to think of his actions, and could only stare as the crystal drained his energy in front of her. "Takeru…"

A quiet grunt escaped Takeru as his expression contorted into a grimace. His hands shook atop the orb, yellow light flowing from below to join the others at the center of the orb. "I… I'm okay! It… it doesn't hurt, so–" He gasped when his legs gave way, forcing him to fall to his knees, his face pale. "Wow…"

Patamon was at Takeru's side in a flash. "Takeru!" He hovered just above his partner, brow furrowed with concern. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Takeru said, his voice breathless and weary. "Like that one time I stayed up all night playing video games without Mom knowing and then had to go to school the next day."

Patamon blinked. "What's a video game?"

Yamato chuckled as he leaned forward and gave Takeru a knowing look, resting his arm on his knee. "Heh… 'make sure it's really safe', huh?"

Takeru's face regained some color, but it was mostly _red_ that centered mainly on his cheeks.

Hikari surveyed the other children as they sat around her, recovering from the exhausting experience, while their partners watched over them. She turned to Tailmon and saw the concern that brimmed behind those vibrant blue eyes. She gave Tailmon a smile, her expression serene. "I guess it's my turn."

Tailmon gave Hikari a long, hard look before her ears canted back. "Alright, but let go if it's too much."

Hikari nodded, more to appease Tailmon's concerns than believing that she would be any more overwhelmed than her friends and brother. She took a moment to gaze upon the orb, admiring it's lovely mixture of colors, knowing that what she saw was the vitality of people who were very dear to her. "Pretty…" she said, her words a quiet, reverent whisper that only Tailmon heard.

The instant Hikari touched the crystal, a flash of bright white encompassed her body, momentarily blinding those watching. Her back arched, her muscles turned rigid, as her sight became blank and unseeing. The light fluctuated in intensity, but overall grew steadily brighter by the moment. White light poured into the orb, not akin a gentle flowing stream like the other children, but the gush of a flood bursting from a dam that threatened to overtake the other colors. The Chosen of Light lost control of her mouth, as it opened and closed rapidly, her voice making sounds so strange and swift it was as though some of the sounds were overlapping, too chaotic and disjointed for anyone to have a hope of understanding their meaning.

Tailmon felt as though her heart had suddenly been placed in a vice. "H-Hikari!" She turned to Gennai, her eyes wild. "What's happening_!_?"

Taichi forced himself back to his feet, scrambling to join Tailmon at Hikari's side. "What's going on_!_?"

Gennai kept his gaze focused on the crystal as it filled to the brim with light, the corners of his eyes scrunching up. "This data…"

Tailmon could not wait for Gennai to figure out what was going on, and grabbed Hikari's leg, intent on pulling her partner away from the crystal. The instant she touched Hikari, the light spread to her, causing her entire body to glow. "What!_?_" Power flooded through her body, much like whenever her Chosen lent her the strength to evolve. She could not prevent the change to Angewomon even if she wanted to.

Hikari did not acknowledge her partner's touch. The strange sounds she made grew to a fever pitch, turning into a horrifying noise that should have been possible to produce with human vocal chords. The light surrounding her body became so bright that it hurt to look directly at her, and it started flickering, disappearing for a fraction of a second before it returned to its previous intensity, like a strobe light. The noise and radiance ended when Ryo suddenly tackled her, forcing her hands away from the orb.

Angewomon grabbed Hikari just before her partner and Ryo hit the ground. "Hikari!" The glow that surrounded the Perfect level Digimon subsided, reverting her back to Tailmon.

Taichi took a hold of Hikari's shoulders when Tailmon's grip went slack due to the regression. "Hikari!" He carefully laid his little sister on the ground, hoping that it would help her recover more quickly.

Tailmon fell over, gasping as she grasped the ground. She felt as though she had just finished fighting a battle every bit as intense as facing off against Vamdemon or the Dark Masters. "I… what just happened!_?_"

Takeru wobbled to his feet and hurried over to Hikari, concerned. Something bad like this was the very thing he had intended to prevent when he touched the crystal before the other young Chosen. "Hikari!"

The lines on Gennai's face were severe, as he cast a troubled gaze upon the orb. It glowed a brilliant shade of white that nearly smothered out the bare streaks of other colors swirling throughout its interior. "That was… unexpected."

Hikari's eyelids fluttered, her normally vibrant red eyes dull as she stared blankly into the sky. Much to the relief of those gathered around her, the vacant stare only lasted for a few moments before she focused on the concerned faces of her brother, partner, and friends. "Did I fall down too?" Her voice was faint, but stable.

Ryo looked at the orb before he focused on Hikari, his expression tense. "You're the Chosen of Light, aren't you?"

Hikari blinked and looked Ryo's way. "Yes. Why?"

Taichi's adrenaline was still surging, as the panic he experienced when Hikari touched the crystal had not disappeared even with the reassurance that she seemed unharmed by the experience. He focused on Ryo, directing all his helpless rage on the strange newcomer. "Do you know something about this?" He threw his arm towards Hikari, hands clenching into fists. "Did you know this was going to happen to Hikari?_!_"

Gennai looked from the orb he held to Ryo. He raised his eyebrow a fraction, but said nothing.

Ryo spared Gennai and the orb the briefest of glances before he focused on Taichi, backing away slowly as the Chosen of Courage stomped towards him. He held his arms up, hoping that it would placate Taichi before the goggle boy decided to start throwing punches. "I didn't know. Honest! I'm not sure what it means…"

Yamato felt his anger grow. "How can you not be sure?" He moved to join Taichi in staring the new Chosen down. "What does her being the Chosen of Light have to do with anything?"

Taichi thrust his finger forward, nearly jabbing Ryo in the chin. "What happened to Hikari just now?"

Sora scooted closer to where Hikari rested, still a little too weak to try standing again. "Is she okay?" She turned her concerned gaze to Hikari, who seemed more confused than anything else. "It didn't hurt her, did it?"

Ryo backed away from Gennai and the other Chosen Children until he was well outside of arm's reach. He shifted weight from foot to foot, unable to stand still underneath the intense stares of the others, some accusing, some merely confused, but all were waiting for answers. "Well… it's just…"

"Possession," Koshiro said, the word blurting from his lips before he could form his thoughts into a proper sentence. "Does this have anything to do with that entity that possessed Hikari before?"

Ryo jerked and stared at Koshiro, his eyes widening. "You mean you've met Tenraimon?"

Taichi blinked. "Tenraimon?"

Gennai looked at Ryo, removing one hand from supporting the orb to rub his chin. "I see, I see. So that's what happened."

Jou fidgeted with his glasses, which he suddenly had a hard time keeping in place. "W-what's what happened?"

"Tenraimon?" Hikari said. Something about the name prickled at the back of her mind, but she could not identify what sort of feeling it brought her, simply that it was somehow familiar. "Who's that?"

Ryo scratched his head and glared at the ground. He opened his mouth, only to shut it with a sound of frustration. "I think…" He turned to Gennai. "I think the crystal accidentally drained more than Hikari's power."

"Yes," Gennai said, "I believe you're right."

Koshiro's eyes widened at the staggering implications. "You mean the orb drained from the data being as well?"

Ryo stared blankly at Koshiro. "Huh?"

Taichi could not calm down, even as they seemed to be honing in on the root of what happened. All the confusion and lack of straight answers was just winding him up even more. "So what does that mean? Is Hikari going to be okay or not?"

Gennai laughed lightly, which made Taichi twitch despite the lightness of the tone. "Hoho, I'm not sure how she'd feel about being called that." The old Digimon's smile turned wry. "But then, I doubt she'd complain too much. She's not quite so hung up on what she's called, like the others."

Mimi tilted her head slightly. It felt to her as though the entire conversation was going right over her head. "Others?"

"I'm afraid I won't go in to too much detail, as I'm sure you're getting confused enough as it is," Gennai said with a shake of his head. "So let's address the matter at hand instead. The Chosen of Light has a special connection with this world. It's a connection that allows her to tap in to a consciousness, an entity that goes deep in to the very fabric of our world. Just now, Hikari accidentally tapped in to that consciousness, causing both her power and that of the entity's to flow into the orb."

Koshiro's mind raced as he processed this new information and the possibilities of what it would mean for Hikari and everyone else. "Why is Hikari the only one connected to this being? How many of them are there? What else can you tell us about them? What does this mean for Hikari, Tailmon, and the rest of us?"

Taichi clenched his fists until they ached and trembled faintly with tension. He felt like a rubber band stretched to its limit, ready to snap at any moment. "I don't care about any of that stuff! I just want to know is if Hikari is okay!"

"She'll be fine," Gennai said, his voice soft and soothing. "I assure you, no harm came to her."

Ryo looked as confused as the rest of the Chosen Children when he turned to Gennai. "Other_s_? I thought the only other DigiGod was Narakumon."

Koshiro turned his attention back to Ryo, his expression mirroring the mysterious Chosen's. "DigiGod? But the being that possessed Hikari said it wasn't the god of Digimon World."

Ryo folded his arms in front of him and rubbed, as though fighting off a sudden chill. The corner of his mouth twisted as though something in his stomach was no longer sitting well. His head tilted downward, creating a slight shadow that darkened his eyes. "I'll admit," he said, the words coming slowly, "I never met Tenraimon, so I don't know much about her first-hand… But I do know _about_ her, and everyone I know who knows her says she's a goddess." He exhaled and shook his head. "And hoo boy… When Narakumon possesses Keiko he doesn't let _us_ forget that he's a god."

"It's personality," Gennai said. "It's as simple as that. Tenraimon cares little for titles or how she is perceived, while Narakumon cares far too much. It's very possible that Tenraimon doesn't even consider herself to be a DigiGod, while Narakumon would have a fit if anyone suggested he was anything else."

Hikari perked up slightly, as part of the conversation caught her attention. "Keiko? Is that another Chosen Child like us?"

Ryo nodded. "Yeah, the Chosen of D–"

A sudden beeping rendered Ryo silent. He scrambled to fish a small silvery rectangular electronic device from his pocket, flipping open the outer casing to peer at a small LCD screen inside.

Takeru peered at the strange device, craning his neck to get a closer look without having to stand up. "What's that?"

"My D-Terminal," Ryo said. "We use it to exchange emails. I can a–" His words died with a choke, the color draining from his face as his eyes grew as wide as dinner plates. "He's on the move!" He tapped at the screen rapidly to send a reply email. "Millenniumon is on the move! We have to act fast!"

Gennai's expression became severe. "We have no time to waste." He turned to the rest of the Chosen. "I'm afraid I cannot answer any more questions at this time. This world is too dangerous for you now, especially in your weakened state. You must go back to your world. Quickly!"

Mimi grabbed Palmon, pulling her partner into a crushing hug. "But what about Palmon and the others? We just finally got to see each other again!"

"You'll have plenty of time to catch up back in your world, where it's safe," Gennai said as he tucked the orb into his pocket.

Without waiting for a response, Gennai threw his hand skyward, as though tossing something invisible into the air. In that instant, all of the Odaiba Chosen were hit with the dizzying sensation of falling _upwards_. It did not feel as though some great vacuum or tornado sucked them up into the stratosphere, but that the law of gravity had been repealed or _reversed_, turning the ground into the new sky and sending them tumbling helplessly into an unending field of blue dotted with fluffy white clouds.

The sudden transportation elicited screams from virtually all the Chosen, who blindly groped at the air for something to hold onto. The rush of air in their ears and a flash of bright light engulfed their senses, leaving nothing but a dizzying sense of vertigo.

The fall trip ended almost as quickly as it began. The senses of the Chosen returned just before they crashed into the living room of the Yagami residence, falling into a haphazard pile of groaning bodies.

Yamato found himself upside down on the sofa, one leg dangling over the armrest while the backing propped the other up leg upward, his shoe barely hanging on by his toes. He blinked a few times to reorient his vision, but everything was still disorienting due to the fact that his head hung off one of the seat cushions. "What just happened?"

Taichi lay on his stomach on something rather uncomfortable and lumpy, sprawled across the other half of the sofa, face buried in one of the cushions, and legs dangling from the armrest. "I think we've been booted out of the Digimon World," he said, his voice muted due to having fabric pressed against his mouth.

A tiny, muffled voice came from underneath the goggle boy. "Taiiichiii…"

"T-that was fast…" Sora said with a gasp as she sat up. "He didn't even give us a chance to say anything!" She rubbed the back of her head, which ached a little after striking the floor. It was not particularly painful when considering the distance they fell, but it made her regret not choosing to wear her hat.

"Taaaii-chiiii…" the tiny voice whined again.

Koshiro crawled himself out from under Jou's legs before scrambling quickly to his feet. "I hope I'll still be able to email Gennai. I have more questions I need to ask about Tenraimon and Narakumon."

Something squirmed beneath Taichi, making the Chosen of Courage yelp. "Taiiiichiii, get off of meeee…!"

Taichi blinked, slow to react at first, and then practically threw himself off the sofa when he realized that he was sandwiching Agumon between him and the cushion. Unfortunately, he wound up crashing on top of Gabumon instead, who yelped and squirmed beneath him. The goggle boy hastily hopped off the fur covered dinosaur Digimon. "Sorry Agumon! Sorry Gabumon!"

Taichi's mother, Yuko, stood in the kitchen with her arm wrapped around a mixing bowl and holding a spatula. Seeing eight children, two of which belonged to her, appear from nowhere and crash on top of her furniture with eight colorful creatures struck her as so surreal that it had taken her a few minutes to find her voice. "My, my, what's all this?" Though feeling a bit off-balance by witnessing something that should have been impossible, she managed to take it all in stride. It was not quite as outrageous as seeing them fly into the sky on a rainbow. "Did you bring your Digimon friends home for dinner?"

"What?" Yamato struggled to sit up but wound up toppling off the sofa. He barely felt the impact with the floor, too focused on seeking out Gabumon. His eyes widened as he clapped eyes on his partner. "Gabumon?"

Jou felt around for his glasses and found them hanging off his ear. After he secured them back in place, he stared down at Gomamon as his partner crawled into his lap. "You… you came with us?"

Gomamon flashed Jou an easygoing grim. "What, did you think we were going to let you guys leave us behind again?"

"Mimi, Mimi~!" Palmon said. Her words were practically a song, brimming over with happiness, as she wrapped her arms tightly around her beloved partner, tears in her eyes. "We're in your world again!"

Mimi let out a squeal that pierced eardrums as she returned the hug with equal enthusiasm, her eyes brimming over with moisture as well. "This is wonderful!" The Chosen of Purity got to her feet and held Palmon above her, wearing a smile as brilliant as the sun. "You're going to get to live with me and my parents, Palmon!"

Palmon laughed and cheered, clinging to Mimi's arms as her Chosen Child spun her about in circles. "Yay! I can't wait!"

Tailmon had been the only Digimon to gather her bearings just before they crashed into the Yagami apartment, which had been fortunate, as it allowed her to catch Hikari and direct the Chosen of Light to land onto a plush easy chair. "Are you alright, Hikari?" She looked Hikari over from head to toe, her sharp eyes searching for any sign that something else might have gone wrong. What happened with the orb had shaken her more than she cared to admit, making her fear that this connection Hikari shared with this mysterious Tenraimon might have brought more danger for her precious partner.

Hikari gave Tailmon a smile and nodded. "I feel just fine." Her voice held a heavy note of weariness, her eyelids drooping. Aside from the signs of fatigue and her skin being a few shades lighter than normal, there was nothing wrong with her, as far as the feline Digimon could tell.

Koshiro carefully stepped and hopped his way over his friends until he could freely run into the next room at top speeds.

Taichi blinked as he watched Koshiro disappear into his father's office. "What's wrong?"

"Koshiro!" Tentomon flew after his Chosen. "Are you checking the Gate?"

Koshiro nodded as he booted up the computer. The Digital Gate was their means of crossing over into the Digital World. Thanks to the efforts of him, Gennai, and his online genius friends, they were able to make a program for his computer that served as a means to open up a portal into the Digital World, much like the one Vamdemon activated during the invasion of Odaiba. It also had a secondary function of serving as a window that allowed them to peer into virtually anywhere in the Digital World. "I want to see what's happening in the Digimon World."

Though battered and fatigued, Chosen soon filled the small office to the brim, gathering around the computer, most peering over shoulders or heads to get a glimpse at the small screen. The air was tense with a growing sense of anxiety, as they wondered about what was happening in the Digital World.

Data flew across the screen at a dizzying pace, streaming lines of code that only Koshiro could keep up with and understand. The room was silent save for the clicking of keys that fired as rapidly as a machinegun. The Chosen Knowledge's typing became more frantic with each passing moment until he finally muttered a curse and slapped his hands into his lap. "Nothing! I can't get _any_ access to the Digimon World!"

Taichi placed his hand on Koshiro's shoulder as he leaned forward to get a look at his friend's face. "What does that mean?"

Koshiro rubbed his hands across his face with a groan. "It means we can't even see what's going on in the Digimon World, let alone access the Digital Gate. I can't even get the program to boot up properly!"

Sora raised a hand to her mouth. "So we can't go back and help?" She looked down at Piyomon. "And our Digimon too?"

Koshiro shook his head. "We can't even keep an eye on things from here. And my email to Gennai bounced back." He propped his elbow up against the table, pressing his hand against his forehead, as he cast a helpless gaze at the screen. "It's like there's a firewall around the Digital World that's cut off all access to it."

The term struck Mimi as strange, conjuring conjured up the image of the Digital World surrounded by a literal wall of fire. "A firewall?"

Taichi turned his attention back to the screen as Koshiro went back to typing. "Did Gennai do this?"

Koshiro let out a sound of displeasure at the back of his throat. "Most likely. Since we can't evolve Tentomon and the others we'll only put ourselves in danger if we went back. I guess he wanted to make sure we didn't do anything risky…" He barely resisted the urge to smack the keyboard, as all his attempts to make the program work were thwarted at every turn. "Or let us worry…"

Yamato leaned back. "So what can we do?" He looked around. No one spoke. They did not know the answer any more than he did. "Does he seriously expect us to just… wait?"

Koshiro nodded, though he stubbornly continued his attempts at hacking into Gennai's firewall.

Hikari wrapped her arms around Tailmon. "For how long?"

"I don't know," Koshiro said. "Until the Digimon World is safe for us to go back, I guess."

"I hope they'll be alright…" Sora said, as she held Piyomon tightly.

Piyomon nuzzled Sora. "It'll be okay, Sora."

"Don't worry, Koshiro," Tentomon said. "Gennai would not have drained you of your powers if he wasn't certain his plan would work. This is most likely proof that it _is_ working."

Koshiro's fingers went still. He stared at the screen for a long moment before answering. "I hope you're right, Tentomon." He exhaled and leaned back in his chair. "All we can do now is wait."


	2. Chapter 1

April 8, 2002. It was a crisp and clear morning, with the sun slowly beginning to rise above the horizon. It was still early enough that the sun had not yet dried up the morning dew, which cast everything in a lightly glossy appearance. Despite the dense population of the district, people were rather scarce at this hour, as most were only beginning to rouse to head to work or school.

Takeru envied them as he stifled a yawn with his hand. He had grown in the past couple years and no longer wore his helmet, swapping it out for a white hat so that Patamon would have a soft place to rest on when riding there. It felt awkward walking around without the familiar weight on his head as he made his way towards his new school. He had only recently moved to the area, so it was still mostly unfamiliar, but that was why he made a point of leaving so early that morning. He intended find his way to school and then take a look around before class started.

_Maybe I can find out what class Hikari's taking_. The thought brought a smile to Takeru's face. _I could ask her for a tour after class_.

The sound of schoolchildren shouting playfully caught Takeru's attention as he drew closer to the school grounds. He blinked and increased his pace to reach the school gates quickly and peered past them to the playing field beside the school. A large group of kids around his age were playing soccer, all dressed in their nice red and black uniforms. They hurried about the field, jogging or taking turns kicking a ball to one another while their coach and a scant few onlookers in the bleachers watched.

Takeru blinked again slowly before he let out a wry chuckle. He vaguely recalled Taichi and Sora's complaints about soccer coaches and the crazy hours they set for practices or games. _Just in time for soccer practice, huh?_

Takeru glanced around the playing field as he passed through the gate. He did not immediately see anyone he recognized, not that he expected to. Most of his friends had moved on to middle school, so only he and Hikari remained elementary students. The only person who caught his notice was a boy with unusually spiky brown hair who wore a pair of square goggles on his brow. The unusual accessory was reason enough to give the Chosen of Hope reason to pause.

"Are goggles really that popular?" Takeru muttered. His eyes drifted upwards until he remembered that Patamon was not with him to give a whispered reply. He shook his head and smiled ironically at himself for forgetting. "Who knows?"

Takeru approached the main building of the school, intent on finding his classroom, when he caught a glimpse of someone familiar on the bleachers. He stopped again and squinted against the bright glare of early morning light. Seated front and center on the bleachers was none other than Hikari. She looked the same as she did the last time he had talked to her, which was only a week ago. She had matured since they first met. Time had exchanged much of her baby fat for more womanly curves, yet somehow she always retained an air of innocence about her, particularly when she looked as tired as she did at that moment. The Chosen of Light blinked her eyes blearily and stifled a yawn behind her hand as the other moved behind her head in a stretch. Takeru stared for a moment before a brilliant smile graced his face. It was a happy coincidence to spot her so quickly without having to search the grounds for her.

Takeru cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. "Hikari!" He waved his arms in the air so that she would not miss him. "Hi-ka-riiii!"

Hikari's head snapped up at the sound of his voice, her fatigue dispelled in an instant. She smiled when she spotted Takeru and waved him over. "Takeru!"

Takeru returned the smile as he dashed around the edge of the field to meet her at the bleachers. He paused only to catch his breath. "Good morning!"

Hikari was on her feet immediately. "Good morning! I didn't expect you to come out and watch the team practice too."

Takeru laughed as he rubbed the back of his head. "I actually didn't know about it. I got up early so I could find my way around before class started."

Hikari clasped her hands together. "Oh, that's right! Today's your first day here."

Takeru nodded. "That's right. It's easy to forget, since we've known each other so long, but I'm supposedly the new kid now!"

Hikari covered her mouth to stifle a soft giggle. "It'll be nice not to be the 'new kid' for a change."

Takeru laughed. "I guess so!"

A loud thwack followed by the blast of the coach's whistle cut their laughter short. "Motomiya!" the coach shouted. "Pay attention!"

The boy in the goggles rubbed the red mark on his face and gave his coach a sheepish grin. "Sorry, sorry."

Hikari cringed slightly in sympathy, as she could see the redness on the goggle boy's face despite how far away he was. "Ouch. I hope that doesn't leave a bruise."

Takeru blinked before he turned to stare at the boy. "Ah, what happened? That looked painful."

"I'm not sure," Hikari said. "But that's my friend Daisuke. I promised him that I would come and watch him practice this morning. I'll introduce you before we go to class."

Takeru smiled as he moved to take up a seat beside Hikari after she sat back down. "Okay, great. I'll wait here with you, then."

Minutes slowly ticked by in silence, save for the shouting on the field and the occasional whistle. Eventually, Hikari's attention wandered from the practice drills, and she glanced up at a tree placed just to the side of the bleachers. She sighed and shook her head after she saw nothing but leaves and branches.

Takeru noticed his friend's action and immediately realized the significance. His hand briefly traveled to the empty space above his hat before he let out a sigh of his own. "Tailmon, right?"

Hikari nodded, her expression tinged with melancholy, and looked back at Takeru. "It feels so strange not to see her hiding someplace nearby. This is the first time we've been apart in two years."

"I feel the same way," Takeru said, his voice quiet, weighed down with emotion. "It feels so weird not having Patamon around, sitting on my head everywhere I go. I actually miss having people ask me about my 'weird hat.'"

Hikari let out a small giggle in spite of herself. "I know what you mean. Remember the time that one woman asked me where I bought Tailmon's gloves and how I got her ring to stay on her tail?"

Takeru grinned at the memory, but it was only a moment before the solemn mood stole that smile away. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, as he cradled his face in his hands. His eyes were far away, no longer seeing the soccer players or the school grounds, but instead the strange yet whimsical landscape of the Digital World. "I… wonder how they're doing. I haven't been able to contact Patamon at all."

Hikari's mirth died with a sigh. "I don't know. Koshiro came over before the sun was up this morning to talk about the D-Terminals we gave Tailmon and the others. He's worried that he didn't recreate them right after all and they don't work in the Digimon Wor… No, I mean the _Digital_ World."

"I've just had this bad feeling, ever since," Takeru said, softly. "I can't forget those strange black spires we saw, or the fact that the Digimon World felt so… empty. I've even been dreaming about it." His gaze grew distant as he recalled the events of the previous day. After nearly two years, the Chosen finally regained access to the Digital World. Its landscape was familiar, but a number of details were different, including the locations of various landmarks. They had expected as much, as the Digital World underwent many alterations during the course of their original adventure and in its aftermath. All of the Chosen had been so happy to have the opportunity to see it once again, but though they searched for half a day, they did not find a single Digimon. "I'm beginning to think it was a bad idea to let the Digimon scout around while we went home. We should have stayed longer, even if it was getting dark."

Hikari shifted uncomfortably, hands folded in her lap. "I've been having bad dreams too." She turned her gaze towards the tree, a part of her silently willing Tailmon to appear within its branches. Her partner had promised to look after everyone, as the feline Digimon was the strongest of the group, but the Chosen of Light could not help but fear for her partner's safety. Hikari looked back at Takeru. "Maybe we could sneak away during lunch and see if the computer lab is empty."

Takeru's blue eyes met Hikari's red ones and he nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea."

A blast of the coach's whistle commanded the two children's attention, bringing it back to the soccer field. "Okay, that's it for practice today. Hit the showers."

Takeru stood up. "Looks like practice is over."

Hikari scanned the field before walking down the bleachers. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Daisuke."

The heavy atmosphere still hung around them like a dense cloud, but Takeru managed a smile as he followed Hikari. Patamon and the other Digimon would not be happy to know their partners were worrying about them so much. "Okay, great!"

Daisuke had the same thought as Hikari as he charged towards the bleachers. His expression was set in a deep scowl despite how it hurt his sore face where the soccer ball hit him earlier. "Hey!"

Hikari waved as they reached the bottom of the bleachers and gave Daisuke her best cheerful smile. "Good morning, Daisuke!"

Daisuke's anger evaporated in an instant after receiving Hikari's cheerful greeting. A goofy smile replaced the scowl and hints of pink appeared on his face around the red marks, particularly on his cheeks. He returned the wave with enthusiasm, forgetting all about Takeru. "Good morning, Hikari-chan!"

Takeru blinked, both surprised at the obvious hostility towards him as well as the sudden complete shift in Daisuke's mood. He did not expect such a strange reaction from someone he had never met and let out an inquisitive hum.

"That was some great playing out there," Hikari said.

Daisuke rubbed his nose with his thumb then winced as he forgot about the injury to his face. He covered up his mistake with a laugh. "Yeah, well, I _am_ the star player on the team you know."

Hikari she gestured at Takeru. "Daisuke, I'd like you to meet a dear friend of mine, Takeru Takaishi. He's going to be going to school with us starting today."

Daisuke's eyes widened drastically as he gawked at Takeru. "_Dear_ friend?" A beat later, his eyes narrowed as he looked Takeru over with greater scrutiny. "Just how do you know Hikari-chan?"

"Takeru and I have known each other since we were little," Hikari said, her voice brimming with cheer. She gestured to Daisuke. "Takeru, I would like you to meet my good friend Daisuke Motomiya."

"Hey," Takeru said. He smiled and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you!"

Daisuke eyed Takeru's offered hand as though wary that it might secretly contain something nasty. He let out a grunt a moment later before he grabbed it for firm handshake. "Yeah, likewise."

Takeru continued to smile as he shook Daisuke's hand. He did not see a point in commenting on the goggle boy's odd behavior, or calling attention to the fact that Daisuke was using excessive force when shaking hands. "Nice goggles, by the way."

Daisuke touched his goggles briefly once the handshake ended. "Yeah? Well, _Hikari-chan_ gave them to me for my birthday last year." He flashed a smug grin at Takeru as he tugged on his goggles.

Hikari rubbed her upper arm. "That's right. Daisuke is a fan of my brother and really likes his goggles, so my brother helped me pick out a pair for Daisuke."

Takeru smiled as he tilted his head. "They look good on you."

Heat rose to Daisuke's cheeks at the unexpected compliment. It took him a moment of fumbling over his words to reply. "O-of course!"

Hikari shifted in place and began to gnaw on her lower lip, her gaze wandering from the boys towards the soccer field. A sense of unease itched beneath her skin.

Takeru chuckled. "Hey, maybe we'll have the same class." He flashed Daisuke a rather mischievous smile. "Be nice to me, okay, Senpai~?"

The pink in Daisuke's cheeks turned a darker shade as his eyes widened drastically. "S-Senpai?"

Takeru's smile widened at seeing Daisuke's reaction. "I'll try not to be too much of a lame 'new kid'."

Daisuke rubbed the back of his head and laughed for a few seconds, both flattered and briefly at a loss for how to respond to such a grand title bestowed upon him. "No, I'm sure you'll be fine. What class are you in?"

Hikari squeezed her arms as she took in their surroundings, her eyes darting about with an increasing sense of urgency. Anxiety prickled at the back of her neck, slowly spreading its way down her spine with the sensation of brushing up against a thorn bush. There was no one around save for the three children, as the rest of the soccer team had long since departed the locker room.

Takeru reached in to his pocket to pull out the printout he had of his classes and where to find them. He read out the class number and the name of his homeroom teacher before looking at Daisuke. "Ring any bells?"

Daisuke jerked slightly as his eyes widened. "That's the same class as Hikari-chan and me!"

"Oh, really?" Takeru blinked, taken aback by the coincidence. A smile graced his features. "Well, that works out great then, doesn't it, Hikari?" He turned to the Chosen of Light and froze as he noticed how pale she looked. "Hikari?"

Anxiety spread like a virus, quickening Hikari's breathing as tension seeped into her body. It bled away the warmth from her body, causing her tightening muscles to quiver. "T-Tailmon…"

Daisuke jerked when saw how haunted Hikari looked. "Hikari-chan!" At once he was at Hikari's side, aching to pull her into his arms protectively, yet he hesitated to touch her lest she react badly. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Hikari's gaze went through Daisuke, seeking out something in the distance that she could not see with her eyes. "Tailmon… Tailmon is…"

"Tailmon?" Takeru muttered. "What about Tailmon?"

Daisuke blinked, confusion warring with concern. "Who's Tailmon?"

The questions the boys asked were faint compared to the thundering of Hikari's heartbeat as it echoed in her ears. Each beat brought an ache that steadily grew in intensity until it felt as though something was thumping around inside her skull so hard that it drew pain across her entire body. She clutched her chest tightly and a small part of her willed her heart to calm down, but she could not fixate on her own pain, as fear seized her in a merciless grip. Adrenaline flooded through her veins along with panic so intense she felt as though she might throw up. She was _terrified_, but it was not fear for her own safety. Something was wrong with Tailmon. She did not know how or why she knew this, but every fiber of her being ached with the knowledge that her partner was in grave danger. Her heart gave a shuddering thud that racked her body with tremors and she threw her head back towards the sky as a scream ripped its way from her throat. "_Tailmon!_"

A crack of thunder drew all eyes towards the clear blue sky. A low, ominous rumble rippled through the air along with the tiny crackling pops of static electricity. Tiny puffs of white appeared over the soccer field, spreading quickly until they joined into a massive cloud. As the clouds spread to cover the sky all the way to the horizon, a spiral formed at the center above the field.

A funnel emerged from the center of the twisting clouds, bulging outwards until it became an oval. The mass grew larger and hung lower until a massive object burst from the swirling cloud cover. Defying all natural law, a transparent egg hovered above the school, as long as the soccer field was wide. A crack that was the mixture of thunder and an egg shattering resounded through the air as the egg split down the middle before bursting into mist like a popped balloon. From the egg fell a white and lavender cat that was illuminated by the tiny shower of prismatic light of the bits of egg that dissolved into the air. The clouds faded nearly as quickly.

The display left the three children at a loss. Takeru was the first to recover, his eyes bugging out as he saw the falling cat. Distantly, he heard Hikari scream Tailmon's name, her voice even more shrill than before. Time slowed to a crawl as he threw his backpack to the ground and tore across the field towards where the cat was falling. With a grunt, he lunged, arms outstretched, and caught Tailmon shortly before she hit the ground. He twisted his body prior to impact with the grassy soccer field so that he would not crush the feline Digimon and his body would serve as a cushion when they crashed down. The rough collision knocked the air out of his lungs in a harsh cry, pain slamming into his shoulder and ribcage.

Hikari was not far behind Takeru, screaming Tailmon's name. She practically collapsed to her knees once she reached her friend and partner, skidding across the grass due to her momentum.

Daisuke blinked. He rubbed his eyes, looked up at the sky, which was as clear as it had been all morning. He turned his head towards Takeru who was coughing and gasping while cradling a rather battered looking cat. He barely registered the fact that Hikari was fussing over this strange new boy he had only met moments ago. "Whoa."

Takeru used his elbows to force himself up with a breathless grunt, and carefully placed Tailmon in his lap. The feline Digimon was in a terrible state. Her fur was matted with red and brown, in some places torn or burnt away, exposing cut or bruised skin. The purple, black, and red of bruising appeared faded where the white of her fur was still thick. The state of her injuries prompted Takeru to hold her as delicately as if she was made of glass with cracks already marring the surface. Her chest shuddered with each raspy breath, as though the act of taking in air was torture.

Tears blurred Hikari's vision before they spilled down her cheeks. She whispered Tailmon's, her voice thick and wavering due to emotion. With trembling hands, she reached for her partner, drawing back just before touching Tailmon as the wounded Digimon let out a sound that was a mixture of a cough and a groan that hurt the red-eyed girl's heart to hear. With Takeru's help, they managed to carefully move Tailmon into Hikari's arms with only a hitched gasp and a small shudder from the feline Digimon. Once Tailmon was secure against her breast, Hikari managed to raise her voice to just below normal conversation level. "Who did this to you?"

Daisuke managed to move his feet in a swift jog to join the other two children once the shock began to die down. He had trouble processing what had just transpired in front of him, staring at Tailmon with a lack of comprehension. "Hey, isn't that one of your cats, Hikari-chan? The one that keeps following you around?"

Tailmon's eyelids fluttered open halfway, her blue eyes seeking her partner. "Hikari," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm so glad…" A cough made her body shudder and Hikari flinched in sympathy. "…So glad it's you…"

"I'm here," Hikari said. The corners of her mouth raised in what she hoped was a smile, but the best emotion she could manage was relief that Tailmon was with her rather than whatever place brought such injuries to her precious partner. "You're going to be okay now. Just hang on, okay?"

Takeru muttered Tailmon's name before his face set in a grim line. He looked at Hikari as he climbed to his feet. "I'm going to contact the others." A second later, he was running back across the field at top speed to recover his backpack and root through it for the silvery rectangular electronic device that was his D-Terminal.

Daisuke gawked at Tailmon and Hikari, his eyes bulging while his mouth opened and closed silently. It took him almost a minute to get his voice to work properly again. "Wha… did that cat just _talk?_!"

"Hikari," Tailmon whispered. "The others… the Digimon Kaiser has…" Another cough broke up her words and Hikari called out her name. She squeezed the red-eyed girl's hand as Hikari started to tell her not to talk and desperately forced out the words despite her partner's protests. "He… he has them! The Digital World!"

Hikari quickly connected the dots and felt the bottom drop from her stomach. "Agumon and the others have been captured?"

Daisuke scratched his head and wondered if the soccer ball had hit him a little too hard earlier. "Am I missing something here?"

Takeru peered over his D-Terminal to look at Daisuke after he sent his email to the other Chosen. There was no way they could hide Tailmon's appearance or explain it away as nothing strange. He doubted that was a priority at this point, given the severity of the situation. The safety of their partners was far more important than trying to keep Digimon a secret. "I think we're all missing something here."

Tailmon's eyes skewed shut, her mouth twisting into an ugly grimace, her face a mask of agony, both emotional and physical. "The whole Digital World has… he's taking over everything… and enslaving everyone!" She paused to take a shaky, rasping breath. "He puts this black ring around their neck, and then… it's like they…" Her voice broke off into a crackly sound that turned into a cough as her ears canted back. She swallowed hard and forced her voice to work despite how much it hurt to speak. "Like they're there, but their minds are gone!"

Hikari sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth. In her mind's eye, she replayed memories from that fateful August over two years ago, and the horrible things that happened to the real world and the Digital World. "That… that has to be why we didn't see anyone when we went there yesterday!"

Tailmon nodded then twitched as the movement aggravated her injuries. "He's… using them as… slaves…"

Hikari rose to her feet, careful not to jostle Tailmon in the process. She briefly looked to Daisuke before focusing on Takeru. "We need to see Jou. He can treat Tailmon's injuries better than we can."

Takeru snapped his D-Terminal closed before tucking it back into his pocket. "I just got a response from Taichi. He's heading back to your apartment. I'd told him we'd meet him there."

Daisuke's gaze switched back and forth between Hikari and Takeru. He yanked sharply on his hair before scratching his head. "Would one of you _please_ explain just what the heck is going _on_!_?_"

Takeru turned to Daisuke, feeling uneasy. He let out a quiet noise, a half formed syllable that was never able to transform into a word. He wondered if they should bother trying to explain, and if so, where they could possibly start.

Hikari met Daisuke's desperate gaze and found herself at a loss for words. She shared a look with Takeru, hoping that he would have some idea about how to deal with this, but his expression was a mirror of hers – upset and somewhat at a loss. To her alarm, she saw kids migrating towards the soccer field, their gazes fixed in the direction of the sky. They had obviously witnessed the strange phenomena earlier and were coming to investigate the area. Their presence did not trouble her because of what they might have seen, but she did not want them to come across Tailmon while her partner was in such a vulnerable state. Her mouth stretched into a thin line as she watched Tailmon take ragged, shallow breaths. "Daisuke, please, we need your help."

Daisuke jerked, surprised by both the request and the expression on Hikari's face. He had _never_ seen her look that way at anyone before. He slowly lowered his hands from his head. "S-sure, Hikari-chan. What do you need me to do?"

Hikari raised her head to look hard into Daisuke's brown eyes, her own red ones smoldering with an intensity that made the goggle boy shiver. "I need you to not say anything about what you saw. I promise I will explain everything later, but right now Tailmon and our friends are in danger."

Daisuke felt his heartbeat quickening as he stared into Hikari's eyes, transfixed. The sheer amount of emotion she expressed in the look she gave him made him tingle all over, creating an intense heat that flushed his cheeks. "S-sure. Okay." He thumped his hand on his chest. "Leave it to me!"

Takeru stuffed his D-Terminal into his backpack before he rushed to Hikari's side. He looked at Daisuke, taking in the other boy's dazzled expression, before he looked back at Hikari. He trusted Hikari's instincts, so he saw no reason not to have faith in her judgment about Daisuke as well. "We need to hurry."

Hikari nodded before breaking eye contact with Daisuke, and darting after Takeru as he led the way back to her home. Daisuke felt off balance as he watched Hikari run off and teetered with indecision for only a moment before he gave in to impulse and chased after the two children and Digimon.

* * *

><p>Despite her injuries, Tailmon managed to sleep peacefully in Hikari's bed thanks to the use of painkillers Jou had brought along with medical supplies. There had been a brief worry that human medicine might not work on Digimon, but those fears proved unfounded. Bandages covered virtually every inch of her body, which made her look somewhat similar to a mummy. Taichi had pointed that out in an attempt to ease the tension, but Hikari was not in the mood for jokes.<p>

Hikari watched Tailmon sleep. Though her partner's expression was relaxed, Tailmon's breathing came in and out in a rasping wheeze that hurt the Chosen of Light's heart to hear. Hikari had barely managed the nerve to dare hold one of Tailmon's hands in both of hers, her hold as light, as though the Digimon's hand had turned into spun sugar, in danger of being crushed by too much pressure. "Tailmon…"

Jou used Hikari's desk to pack up his first aid kit. About half of the items inside it were acquired through purchases with his allowance while the other half, such as the painkillers, were donated by his older brother Shin for emergencies like this where going to a hospital was out of the question. He closed the kit with a sigh. "I did what I could," he whispered. He looked at Hikari and Tailmon, his heart going out to the two girls. "She needs to just rest now and let her body take care of everything else."

Takeru stood behind Hikari, his eyes hard and his mouth set in a grim line as he stared down at Tailmon. It seemed as though all his misgivings were true and he could not stop kicking himself for ignoring them.

Jou turned to Takeru and inclined his head towards the door, pointing with his thumb. "Let's let her rest a while."

Takeru looked up and nodded before he left the room, joining the others in the Yagami living room. Jou was careful to close the door quietly behind them. They would leave Hikari to watch over Tailmon now.

Taichi hissed a curse under his breath as he punched his palm hard enough to make it and his knuckles sting. He forced himself to ignore the pain as he looked around at the others, his eyes blazing. "I knew it was a mistake to leave them there alone. Without us they can't evolve to defend themselves." He cursed again and punched a pillow from the sofa. "I can't believe I didn't think of that!"

Koshiro looked up from his laptop and grimaced at the naked rage on Taichi's face. "We had no idea this would happen," he said softly. "We didn't find anything dangerous in the Digital World when we checked it yesterday. And none of the scans from my programs found anything strange."

A short distance away from the group, Yuko paced in the small kitchen, holding the phone to her ear. "Yes, yes, I'm afraid Hikari will be missing school today. You see, it's a family emergency…"

Takeru leaned back against the sofa, landing heavily on the cushions with a grunt. He folded his arms over his chest, his eyes skewing shut. "Damn it…"

Daisuke felt out of place as he stood in the area between the living room and the kitchen. He spared a brief glance at Yuko then focused on Takeru and the older children in their school uniforms. He had been to the Yagami apartment before, if sparingly. He had met Koshiro a couple of times in the past when he and the older boy happened to be visiting at the same time. The older boy talked of programs and computers, which generally went over Daisuke's head. Jou was someone the young goggle boy met less than an hour ago, and it startled him that someone only a few years older than him seemed to be such an expert on medicine, as Jou seemed to know exactly how to treat Tailmon and barked orders at everyone to assist him during the process. What troubled Daisuke more than being utterly lost by what was going on was the sheer amount of anger Taichi displayed. He had never seen the older goggle boy lose his temper so badly before. "Senpai, what's going on? Why can Hikari-chan's cat talk?"

Taichi looked at Daisuke and the younger boy flinched under the weight of his stare. The Chosen of Courage sighed as he tried to relax his expression and rubbed his face. "It's a long story."

The front door suddenly burst open, revealing Yamato, who was breathing somewhat heavily. "Sorry I'm late." He hurried past the kitchen. "I came as soon as I could!" He stopped when he saw Yuko on the phone and blushed lightly before he quickly kicked off his shoes towards the entryway. He glanced around and spotted the other Chosen looking at him quietly, Taichi waving a hand in silent greeting. Daisuke's presence caused Yamato to hesitate a moment, a frown tugging at his lips. He brushed it off and hurried past the young goggle boy to join the others. "How is she? What's happening in the Digimon World?"

Koshiro shifted his gaze back to his laptop. "According to what Tailmon told Hikari, the Digital World has been taken over by someone called the Digimon Kaiser. He's apparently enslaved all the Digimon with black rings that seem to have similar properties to the Black Gears we encountered years ago."

Yamato glanced towards the closed door leading to Hikari's bedroom and frowned. He stood behind the sofa near Takeru and Koshiro before glancing over his friend's shoulder. The laptop showed lines of data whipping by at a pace too fast for him to keep up with, let alone decipher. "What the hell's a Digimon Kaiser?"

Takeru scowled, glaring off into the distance. "Our new enemy. He has Patamon and the others."

Taichi ground his fist into his sore palm. "It must be another evil Digimon like that Millenniumon guy. Maybe Ryo and his group weren't able to defeat him after all and he managed to take over the Digimon World while we were still locked out."

Daisuke groaned before throwing his arms into the air. "_What the heck is a Digimon_? Why are you saying all these names with 'mon' at the end? What's a Digimon World and Digital World anyway? And why aren't any of you surprised Hikari-chan's cats can _talk_?"

Nearby, the family cat, Miko, looked up from her food bowl and let out an impertinent meow before she resumed eating.

"Ah," Yamato muttered as he rubbed the back of his head. "I said it again, didn't I? Digi_tal_ World, not Digi_mon_ World, right?" He paused for a moment then grunted. "Does it matter what I call it at a time like this?"

Takeru paused to look at Daisuke. "First off, try to keep your voice down. Tailmon needs to sleep right now. Second, that 'cat' isn't a cat, she's a Digimon. The Digital World is where Digimon come from – it's a world full of other beings just like her."

Taichi rubbed the bridge of his nose as he considered how best to condense an explanation about the basics of Digimon. "'Digimon World' is what we used to call the Digital World before Koshiro found out that's what it was really called when he started hacking into its code." He gestured towards Koshiro. "Digimon is short for Digital Monsters. They're, uh, well…" He grasped for words, as he found himself at a loss for a way to summarize all of the different kinds of creatures Digimon could be. He let out a frustrated sound as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Digimon are beings made of data," Koshiro said without looking up from his laptop. "They're alive like us and live in a world that's parallel to ours. Both worlds are connected and have a sort of symbiotic relationship to one another."

Takeru nodded. "They can look like anything, from talking cats and dinosaurs to angels and…" He grimaced. "…Poop with eyes."

Daisuke turned a little green at the image then shook his head to clear the thought away. He considered everything they told him, but it was all too strange. "This is starting to sound like the plot of a video game…"

Takeru gave Daisuke a sympathetic look. "It sounds really bizarre, I know, but you can't deny that you saw a cat that talked."

Daisuke slowly shook his head. "I guess not… But I'm still not getting any of this. You guys are talking like you're from some game or anime or something."

Yamato focused his attention back to Koshiro. "Is the Digital Gate open? Can we take a look around for ourselves?"

"Just a sec," Koshiro said. He stopped typing as a cheerful chime sounded from his laptop, the lines of code disappearing as an image replaced them. "Okay, I think I've found the location." He pointed at the screen, which displayed a coliseum similar to ones found in ancient Rome. "This looks like the area Tailmon mentioned."

Daisuke moved to stand beside Yamato and peered on the computer screen. The image displayed just looked like a photograph from one of his textbooks. _Is that really another world?_

Taichi punched his palm again. "Alright! Everybody ready?"

The door flew open, banging hard against the wall, which caused the children and Yuko to jump. Standing in the doorway, gasping heavily and leaning against the frame as she struggled to catch her breath, was Sora. "S-sorry… I'm late!" She paused for a moment to straighten up, her face flushed. "I… I ran all the way here!"

Taichi flashed Sora a smile. "Great timing, Sora! We just got the gate ready."

Koshiro's fingers flew across the keyboard. "And I just sent Mimi the location." He paused for a moment as his laptop chirped when he received a response in his private chat window with Mimi. "She says she'll meet us there."

Sora nodded as she closed the door behind her and moved quickly for the living room, not bothering to remove her shoes. She hesitated and glanced towards Hikari's room. "Should I stay here with Hikari?"

"I'll stay," Jou said as he adjusted his glasses. "I need to be here in case Tailmon needs something."

Sora nodded to Jou before she pulled out her Digivice from her book bag. "Alright. I'm ready, then!"

Taichi looked towards his sister's bedroom, the muscles in his face tightening. He clenched his fists as he waited for Koshiro to set the laptop down on the coffee table. On the screen was a complicated program that showed a part of the Digital World. He whipped out his Digivice and aimed it towards the computer. "Let's go!"

Jou stepped back into the kitchen to join Yuko before Taichi opened the Digital Gate so that it would not pull him in like the others. He shielded his eyes as a bright light flashed from the Chosen of Courage's Digivice to the computer, the beam engulfing the rest of the Chosen before disappearing along with them.

Jou took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes to dispel the white spots that danced in his vision. He put his glasses back on before glancing towards Daisuke. "I know this might seem strange but… Huh?"

The eldest Chosen stared blankly at the empty space where Daisuke had been standing only moments ago.


	3. Chapter 2

The first thing to greet the Chosen Children upon entering the Digital World was a massive black obelisk looming over them. The spire stood at least ten stories tall, its four smooth sides tapering off to form a small pyramid at the top. The sun did not reflect off the strange structure and it cast no shadow across the ground or the coliseum in front of it. The Roman-inspired stone coliseum was less than half as tall as the obelisk, carved from brown stone that appeared worn by the weather and age, some areas cracked or starting to crumble. The coliseum was as wide as a football field, surrounded by a dense but colorful forest with a high plateau not far away.

Takeru stood at the edge of the grassy cliff overlooking the coliseum. The upward perspective gave him a good view of the stone structure. His mouth stretched in a thin line, as he noticed no sign of anyone nearby. "This is the place, Koshiro?"

Koshiro took a good look at their surroundings before he nodded. "It's the only place I found that matches the description Tailmon gave us."

Taichi barely spared the area more than a glance, as the gold-trimmed blue shirt and the jeans he was wearing distracted him. "Did anyone else notice we're not wearing our school uniforms anymore?"

Koshiro looked down at his own rather familiar state of dress consisting of an orange button up shirt and brown shorts then tapped his purple sneakers against the ground, verifying that they were not an optical illusion. "Fascinating… This didn't happen to us last time we came here. Maybe it's because we weren't dressed to come this time. I don't know about the rest of you, but I forgot to put my shoes back on before we opened the gate."

"Hey, isn't this what we wore the last time we came to the Digital World?" Yamato asked as he tugged on his green turtleneck vest and blue jeans.

"Strange as it sounds, I think so," Takeru said, taking off the green hat off his head and looked at his outfit – a green zip up shirt with light green sleeves and khaki pants. "I don't even own this outfit anymore. Cripes, what was I thinking?"

"You were thinking, 'I'm a kid, so I'll let my mother dress me.'" Yamato said, with a smile. He laughed when Takeru lightly threw the hat at him.

Taichi ground his sneakers into the grass then tugged at his t-shirt. It certainly felt more comfortable than his school uniform, so he supposed that he could not complain about the loss of his uniform. "Huh. That's weird." He turned to Sora then blinked. "Wait, Sora wasn't wearing a dress last time we were here."

"Ah, my uniform," Sora muttered as she noticed she was suddenly wearing more casual clothes. While she would have preferred pants over a pink dress decorated with red and white hearts she supposed that she would rather get this dirty than her school uniform. "Well, it's better than–"

A boy's scream drowned out Sora's quiet words. "_What the heck just happened!_?"

Takeru whipped around towards the voice and stared as he saw none other than _Daisuke_ standing close to the group. "What?"

All eyes turned towards Daisuke, who was no longer in his soccer uniform, but instead wearing a bomber jacket with a flaming print over a white shirt, accented with yellow gloves. Daisuke alternated between gawking at their surroundings, the other children, and his different attire. "What? What? _What?_"

Koshiro's eyes widened. "I-impossible! Only Chosen Children can come here! Mimi verified that just yesterday when she tried to bring her parents here!"

Sora briefly glanced at Koshiro before looking back at Daisuke. "Does that… mean…?"

"He's a Chosen Child too?" Takeru asked.

Koshiro nodded slowly. "If he is then he should have a Digivice."

Daisuke blinked repeatedly then paused to pinch himself, flinching at the pain it brought. "Okay, so this isn't a dream. Then could someone _please_ explain what's going on? Where are we? What happened to my clothes? What is with this Chosen Child stuff? And what the heck is a Digivice?"

Takeru held up his Digivice. "This."

Daisuke stared at the Digivice before he noticed that he was holding something. The sudden change in scenery and clothes had distracted him from realizing it before. He opened his hand in front of his face and jerked back to see that he was holding a Digivice that was identical to Takeru's. "What the heck_?_! Where did this come from?"

Taichi openly gawked at the Digivice Daisuke held. "You really _are_ a Chosen Child, Daisuke!"

Daisuke pried his eyes away from the Digivice to look at Taichi. His brow furrowed while his mouth contorted slightly to the side as the situation slowly settled in. "That's… a good thing, right?"

Takeru frowned as he stared at Daisuke and considered the implications. He barely had a few moments to contemplate this new revelation when a strange noise caught his ear. It was a shriek of rusted metal scraping together and against rough stone. He and the others looked around quickly before finding its source down in the coliseum. At the lowermost level were barred gates that led into passages too dark for them to see inside past the bars. One of those gates was opening slowly. "Everyone! Something's happening!"

The group immediately ducked down onto their knees or stomach at edge of the cliff to lessen the risk of someone seeing them from down below. Daisuke spared a curious glance to the others before he moved to the edge and carefully leaned over to get a better view. "Hey, that's a… you know. Those arena things where those old dudes in togas fought lions." His eyes widened. "Wait, are we in _Rome?_"

Taichi lashed out to grab Daisuke's jacket and yanked the younger boy down to the ground. "Keep quiet!" he said, his voice coming out as a hiss between his teeth, which was ultimately drowned out by Daisuke when the newest Chosen crashed onto the grass with a yowl. Taichi held a finger to his lips and shushed Daisuke before he returned his attention to the coliseum.

The gate disappeared into the wall of the coliseum with an ominous thud that hung in the air. A moment later, four-legged red Digimon with long pointed ears, a fanned tail, and purple stripes flew out of the darkness, as though something unseen had thrown it, causing it to tumble roughly across the ground until it eventually came to a stop at the center of the arena. The Elecmon laid there on its stomach, its mouth contorted into a grimace. It opened its eyes slowly, twitching its ears before canting them back as he looked around the coliseum.

The gate behind the Elecmon closed while the one directly across from it opened. Past the bars was a pair of glowing red eyes that pierced the darkness. The Elecmon trembled and scrambled backwards until it reached the gate behind it and pressed its back against the bars. From the gloom before it, the Digimon with the blazing red eyes stepped into the light.

A collective gasp resounded as the Chosen Children saw who those eyes belonged to. To their horror, it was none other than Palmon who exited the gate. A large black ring bound her around the neck, as though she were a collared pet. The Elecmon groped uselessly between the bars behind it as Palmon lunged towards it.

A low and grating snarl erupted from Palmon's throat before she slammed her head against the Elecmon's face. The bars behind it let out a resounding clang as its head impacted against them due to the blow. The Elecmon slid to the ground, dazed. Palmon landed within arm's distance of her opponent and brushed back the petals from her eyes. The formerly pink petals atop her head were dyed vibrantly in all colors of the rainbow, adorned with tiny glittering star ornaments. This, above all else, made the Chosen certain that the Palmon in the coliseum was their friend, as Mimi had been so proud of the makeover she gave Palmon a week ago, sending them all numerous photographs by email immediately afterward.

Palmon growled as her vine-like fingers began to extend. "Poison… Ivy!" Her stretched out fingers lashed out at the Elecmon, scooping the hapless Digimon up into the air before she whipped the vines down on it hard, sending the red Digimon crashing into the ground. Her arms swung in quick, violent arcs, striking the Elecmon with a sickening crack against flesh that tore a scream of agony from the tortured Digimon.

The horror had only barely begun to sink in for the Chosen who witnessed such a ghastly scene when another agonized scream pierced the air, much closer to the group, which caused them all to jump. "_Palmon!_"

Sora looked up in time to see someone rush past her for the edge of the cliff. "M… Mimi?" Her face was pale and her voice shook. "M-Mimi, wait!" She reached out for her friend to stop Mimi from doing anything rash, but came up short due to her crouched position against the ground.

Heedless of the danger, Mimi climbed down the side of the cliff, using some of the many hanging vines located there to help keep her from falling. Under normal circumstances, she would have been against such recklessness out of fear, but the sight of seeing her precious partner being forced to brutally attack a helpless Digimon was more than she could bear. "I'm coming, Palmon!"

Mimi's voice did not reach the coliseum, or Palmon simply could not hear it. The partner to the Chosen of Purity did not falter for an instant in her merciless attacks, save to walk closer to the screaming Elecmon whenever it crawled too far away, or she knocked it beyond the reach of the vines. The Elecmon, bruised and bloody, could do little else but be knocked about like a ragdoll.

Taichi scrambled over on hands and knees to where Mimi had gone, stopping short of the edge. "Mimi, wait!"

For a moment, Takeru feared that Mimi fell over the edge and cried out her name as he jumped to his feet and ran to Taichi's side. Seeing her climb down was only a small relief. "We've got to get to her before they catch her!"

Koshiro anxiously peered down at Mimi. Though he worried for her and for Palmon, he felt dizzy looking directly down the side of the cliff. He estimated that they were at least six stories above the ground. "But we can't all climb down, can we? Our combined weight might break the vines."

Taichi considered Koshiro's words for only a moment before he followed the side of the cliff towards where the high hill sloped downward. "In that case we better find another way down!"

Daisuke was up and racing after Taichi in a heartbeat. "W-wait for me, Senpai!" He still had no idea what was going on, but the last thing he wanted was to be left behind in such a strange place with weird monsters around.

Sora hurried towards the cliff and grabbed a vine of her own. Without pausing to consider Koshiro's warning she began the climb down the cliff. Seeing how far she was above the ground, dangling by a plant, made her stomach churn and her legs felt as though they had lost their strength around the knees, despite how she squeezed them around the vine for stability. Going rock climbing without any sort of safety harness was one of the last things she ever thought she would do, but her concern for Mimi somehow gave her the strength to move down despite the danger. "M-Mimi!"

A sudden shock nearly caused Sora to lose her death grip on the vine as she saw Takeru fall past her. She nearly screamed his name when he saw that he held fast onto a vine of his own, which he used to catch himself. Distantly, she heard Yamato scream Takeru's name in a mixture of horror, confusion, and anger. She felt the same emotions and redoubled her efforts to climb down quickly.

Takeru did not stop long enough to feel fear for what he was doing and tuned out the sound of his brother's voice as he paused to gather some slack in the vine before he made another jump downward, repelling his way to the bottom as though he had scaled cliffs all his life. The tricky part was making the jump from the cliff wall to the edge of the arena. The gap between the building and rock wall was only a meter wide. He landed on the top of the arena, his foot slipping briefly on the edge. He paused to pinwheel his arms in order to stabilize himself then gauged the next jump. Mimi was still ahead of him, already running down the stairs between the stone seats, leaving her vine behind. His expression tightened and he leapt down from the edge of the wall, landing in a crouch at the top row of the arena, then tore after the pink haired girl.

Yamato cried out for Takeru once more, as he saw his little brother chase Mimi towards the bottom of the arena. With a grunt, he grabbed the vine that Takeru discarded and tried to imitate what his brother had done.

Koshiro hesitated as he watched his friends scale the cliff, a distinct sense of morbid fascination mingling with fear that kept him paralyzed, unable to act. Only when he saw everyone touch down safely into the arena did he manage to clear his mind to think clearly. He looked at the vines, noting that they were likely much stronger than plants in the real world, as testified by his friends' actions. The cliff appeared to be at a 90-degree drop, with the top of the stadium roughly three meters below, but that assumed that he could swing across the gap between the side of the cliff and without dropping an extra four to five meters to the ground. Despite the fact that four of his friends had accomplished such a task safely, he held far less confidence in his own physical abilities than they did, so he ran off in the direction Daisuke and Taichi went.

Mimi screamed Palmon's name as she ran down the steps towards the center of the arena, her voice creating a slight echo that hung in the air. "Palmon! Stop! Stop it please! Don't hurt Elecmon anymore!" She dashed the tears from her eyes with the back of her sleeve and felt a surge of hope when Palmon paused, her vines laying slack across the whimpering Elecmon's back before they retracted to their normal length.

Sora cried out for Mimi, knowing that she was very likely wasting her breath. "Mimi! Stop! It's dangerous!"

Palmon slowly turned around to face Mimi as the Chosen of Purity climbed down into the arena from the lowest row of seats. Her expression was a neutral mask, completely lacking any emotion. She fixed Mimi with her glowing red eyes, which narrowed as the girl drew closer. "Poison Ivy."

Takeru reached Mimi in time to tackle her out of the way of Palmon's elongated fingers as they scratched at the air just above their heads. Mimi cried out as she hit the ground hard, hot tears trickling down her cheeks. She cried out Palmon's name as she struggled beneath the Chosen of Hope. "She can't hear you!" Takeru said, his voice tense. "That collar… Tailmon said that it takes away their minds like a Black Gear!"

A harsh growl resounded from Palmon's throat as she approached the two Chosen. The neutrality in her expression disappeared as her face twisted, the corner of her large mouth curling upwards in a sneer that exposed her numerous sharp teeth. Her eyes were slits that seared like coals, filled with malice. The sight of tears on Mimi's face and her Chosen Child's cries seemed to do little more than agitate the plant Digimon.

Mimi shook her head furiously as she skewed her eyes shut. "No! _No!_ I won't accept it! Palmon wouldn't… wouldn't…!"

Yamato dropped down into the arena and ran towards the pair as fast as his feet could carry him. "Takeru! Get her away from there!"

Takeru returned to his feet, pulling Mimi up along with him. "I know she wouldn't." He kept his grip on her wrist tight as he tugged her backwards, away from Palmon. "Not if she had a choice."

Mimi dragged her feet as she turned back to Palmon. Tears blurred her vision, but she could still see the red glow of her partner's eyes and hear Palmon snarl like a rabid animal. "Palmon! Snap out of it!"

The Chosen of Purity's pleas amounted to nothing. There was no flicker of recognition on Palmon's face, no hint that she had heard her beloved partner. There was nothing but hatred. "Poison Ivy!"

Yamato had taken advantage of Palmon's focus on Mimi and circled around the plant Digimon so that he could charge at her from behind. "Palmon, I'm sorry!" He crossed his arms in front of him and rammed into Palmon from behind, knocking the crazed Digimon over and interrupting her attack.

A shrill shriek tore itself from Mimi's throat as she watched Palmon go down. She fought with Takeru as he dragged her to the side of the arena, slipping into hysterics at the thought of leaving her partner in such a terrible state. "_Palmon!_"

Sora reached the lowest row of the arena as Takeru made it to the wall and reached down to give Mimi's shoulder a firm shake. "Mimi! We've got to go!" She grasped her friend's arm and helped Takeru lift Mimi up out of the fighting area. "Palmon would never forgive us if we let her hurt you!"

Palmon wobbled to her feet, tilting her head unsteadily from one side to the other. Her face lost all expression and she stared blankly at the space in front of her for a moment before the glow in her red eyes intensified and the hatred returned. She whipped around in an instant to face Yamato, another growl building up in her throat as she flexed her fingers. The quick movement caused her vibrantly colored petals to flutter in front of her face, the star ornaments tinkling as they hit one another.

The rough voice of a young man echoed through the arena, unnaturally amplified to cut through the din of the battle and Mimi's screams. "Palmon." The voice caused Palmon to jerk before freezing completely.

Yamato stood crouched in preparation to dodge the next attack, but was caught completely unprepared by the new voice and the way Palmon reacted to it after all of Mimi's pleas had gone unanswered. "What?"

The sound of slow clapping echoed through the arena, patronizing in its monotonous rhythm. The gathered Chosen Children sought out its source, barely noticing that Daisuke, Koshiro, and Taichi had managed to make it into the coliseum. The trio quickly joined Sora near the edge of the arena, just in time for the entire group to spot the person responsible for the mock applause.

On virtually the opposite side of the coliseum, overlooking the arena, was the imperial box where the emperor would typically sit. A throne made of gold, decorated in jewels and plush red velvet, had been set at the center of the box with no seats surrounding it. A young man stood in front of the throne, adorned in an outlandish dark blue and white jumpsuit. A long purple cape trimmed in gold fluttered behind him, attached to a pair of golden shoulder guards. Pieces of oddly shaped silver armor were set around his wrists, ankles, and neck, their appearance reminiscent of segmented manacles rather than proper bracers. A pair of thick glasses trimmed in gold and tinted with purple masked his eyes, but it did nothing to hide the smirk on his face. The dark gray gloves he wore somehow did not muffle the sound of his clapping in the slightest before he finally stopped. "Bravo." He chuckled before brushing back a few strands of his wild, spiky, two-toned blue hair. "I don't think I've ever seen a more pathetic and _useless_ display of _heroism_."

Taichi took an immediate dislike to the young man in the strange outfit and glared at the stranger. "Who are you?"

The young man standing before the throne curled the corner of his lip, trading his smirk for an ugly sneer. "I think the better question is who are _you_?" His tone was heavy with disgust and held more derision than his clapping. "Who do you think you are, trespassing in _my_ Digital World?"

Takeru jerked his head back slightly, as though the question had struck him physically. "_Your_ Digital World?"

Daisuke wore a blank expression on his face as he stared at the strange new person. Everything was happening far too quickly for him to process, which left him at a complete loss. "Uh, what?"

The young man curled his fingers into a tight fist. "This Digital World is _mine_, and no one else's." His voice was colored with malice that grew a shade darker with every word he spoke. "I don't recall giving you permission to be here."

Yamato clenched his fists as well. "Cut the crap!" He shook his hand towards the newcomer in a silent threat. "What did you do to Palmon?"

"Give her back!" Mimi screamed. "Give Palmon back to me!"

The young man opened his hands to touch his chin and let out a huff of air that carried a note of scorn. The smirk returned to his face. "You're pretty brave, talking to the Digimon Kaiser like that."

Yamato shook his fist as his blood began to boil. "I'll talk to you how ever I damn well want!"

Koshiro's eyes widened. "The Digimon Kaiser?" The implication was staggering. "Wait, does that mean that you're… You don't mean you're trying to take over the Digital World? You're a human!"

A quiet note of laughter came from the Digimon Kaiser, and amusement erased all trace of irritation from his tone. "_Trying_?" He moved his hand over his chest with a mock jerk and stepped back, as though the word wounded him. "Why, in case you didn't notice, I already _have_!"

Sora's grip on Mimi's shoulder tightened as she struggled with what the boy who called himself the Digimon Kaiser had proudly proclaimed. "You… you're not a Digimon!" She thought back to all the past threats to the Digital World, mainly Virus types who grew mad for power, but in the end, they all served a broken program given sentience from the countless Digimon who died while failing to evolve. Somehow, this boy presented something more frightening than any of those things. "You're a Chosen Child, like us! So… so why? Why would you do this?"

Gone was the Digimon Kaiser's mirthful visage. The muscles in his face drew into a tight expression as his voice became as cold as a blizzard. "I told you. This is _my_ Digital World. I will do as I see fit."

Once the initial surprise had passed, Taichi curled his fingers into tight fists as his eyes narrowed, fixing the Digimon Kaiser with a sharp gaze. "You…"

Daisuke virtually mirrored Taichi's expression as he glared at the Digimon Kaiser. "Hey!" He pointed at the arrogant young man. "I still don't understand everything that's going on around here, but I know this plant thing, er… _Digimon_ is important to her!" He gestured at Mimi, whose cheeks were still stained with streaks of tears. "And you hurt Hikari-chan's cat – I mean Digimon!" He clenched his hand into a fist and thrust it up into the air. "I'm not going to let you get away with that!"

The Digimon Kaiser slowly raised an eyebrow as he regarded the loudmouthed young man threatening him with a fist. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but the loathing in his voice did not change. "Oh? And what exactly do you plan to _do_ about it? Point at me and yell like the useless insect you are?"

Daisuke ground his teeth together and brought both fists near his body, crouching slightly, as though he might pounce despite the fact that the Digimon Kaiser was too far away for him to attack. "Why you!"

Yamato cracked his knuckles. "I've had enough!" He went to the wall at the side of the arena and climbed up to the lower rows of the spectator seats.

Taichi went to the Chosen of Friendship's side as he smacked his fist into his palm. "You and me both." He flashed Yamato a grin, which was grimly returned. "Let's teach this brat some manners."

Koshiro expression was tense, a headache was forming as the more he thought about the implications of what the Digimon Kaiser said, the more they simply did not make sense. "Why are you doing this? If you're a human and you're here, then you must be a Chosen Child like us, but you couldn't be a Chosen because we were selected to _save_ the Digital World, not conquer it! How can you just… It's not possible."

The expression the Digimon Kaiser wore was a mask of pure disdain. The hatred hung around him like a dark cloud, something felt on an instinctive level more than it was shown in the sneer in his lip or the tension of his jaw. "Insects. You have no right to be in my Digital World." He reached into his pocket and a strange black device. It appeared similar to the Digivices given to the Chosen Children, but it was at least twice the size of the normal ones. It was long, with rounded edges shaped to conform to a person's hand, and more buttons on both sides of the rectangular screen. The screen itself seemed to be the same size as the normal Digivices.

Daisuke blinked at the strange device that the Digimon Kaiser presented to them. "What's that?"

The Digimon Kaiser snorted then aimed his Digivice at Yamato and Taichi. The dull gray screen flickered to life, glowing briefly before it darkened. The shadow across the screen bled outward until it seemed to suck out the light surrounding it, swirls of darkness scraping at the sky with ethereal fingers. A black line shot from the Digivice, striking the Chosen of Friendship before anyone could blink. Yamato staggered back, opening his mouth to scream as the darkness overtook his body. A second later, the blackness dispersed, taking the blond with it. Taichi had only an instant to realize this before the Kaiser struck again, firing another beam of darkness at the Chosen of Courage. Taichi had barely started screaming Yamato's name when he too was gone.

Sora reeled back, gasping, as panic slammed into her with the force of a punch to the stomach. "T-Taichi!_?_"

Takeru whirled when he saw the path of the dark beams and heard both Taichi and Sora scream. He instinctively cried out to Yamato, but there was no trace of his older brother to be found.

Daisuke reeled back, nearly falling backwards. He had been close to where Yamato and Taichi had been standing, which gave him a perfect view of what happened to the older boys. "Senpai!" Surprise quickly gave way to rage, which he focused entirely on the Digimon Kaiser. "What did you do to them!_?_"

The Digimon Kaiser chuckled lowly, amused by the reactions. "I simply removed those insects from my world." He turned his Digivice in the direction of Sora, Takeru, and Mimi. "Just like I'll do to you."

"Why!_?_" Sora screamed. The question barely left her lips when another blast of black struck, hitting her full in the chest. The echo of her cry was left lingering in the air after the darkness took her.

Takeru seized Mimi by the arm and bolted towards Daisuke and Koshiro, practically dragging the stunned girl behind him. "Run for it!"

Mimi reacted belatedly, still reeling from what had happened to Palmon and three of her dear friends. She stumbled as she tried to keep up with Takeru, but she could not stop herself from looking back over her shoulder towards Palmon. To her dismay, her partner had not moved a muscle and stared at the Digimon Kaiser with all the emotion of a mannequin. "But what about Palmon?"

"We'll have to come back for her," Takeru said, even as the words pained him. "We're in no condition to help her now."

The vicious laughter of the Digimon Kaiser rang through the arena, chasing after the Chosen Children as they fled from his Digivice. "Just where exactly do you think you're going to go?"

Mimi felt her chest constrict as she watched the distance between her and Palmon grow while reluctantly retreating with Takeru, until the tears clouded her vision completely. "We'll come back for you, Palmon! I promise!"

Daisuke had barely caught up to Takeru and Mimi when he glanced back and saw where the Digimon Kaiser was aiming. Instantly, he lunged towards the pair, knocking them apart as the three of them fell to the ground. "Look out!"

A beam of darkness shot over their heads, but the Digimon Kaiser merely fired another one without hesitation. The cry Mimi gave after she crashed to the floor was cut abruptly as the tyrant did not miss a second time.

Takeru yelped as Daisuke tackled him, sending him crashing to the floor roughly. He jerked back, eyes widening to their fullest when Mimi disappeared before his eyes. Fortunately, he was quick to recover from his shock, and he pulled Daisuke with him behind the dividing wall between the bottom most row of seats and the arena, effectively blocking the Digimon Kaiser's attack with a stone wall while allowing them to hide from their enemy's view. "D-damn it… where do we go from here?"

Koshiro pointed towards one of the doorways out of the coliseum, the one he, Daisuke, and Taichi had used to enter. "This way!"

The words had scarcely left Koshiro's lips when the Digimon Kaiser turned his attention on the Chosen of Knowledge. A second later, Koshiro was gone before Daisuke or Takeru could make a move.

The Digimon Kaiser's smile might have appeared playful if it was not tainted with venom. "Yes," he said, his voice laced with a strange mixture of mirth and disdain, "by all means, _do_ go that way, won't you? I want to get a clear look at your faces before I purge you from my Digital World."

Takeru grunted as he pressed his back against the wall, then glanced at Daisuke. "Think we should run for it?"

Daisuke mimicked Takeru's action, a scowl on his face. "I think we should–" His idea was cut off as he saw the beam shoot over his head. He lunged quickly to evade it, diving down onto his belly. "Look out!"

Takeru ducked and rolled to the side, then crouched low as he growled. He spotted cracks and gaps in the walls worn away by age, which left parts of their bodies exposed to attack. "That bastard…"

"It's useless," the Digimon Kaiser said. "You can't escape me."

Daisuke grit his teeth together hard enough to make his jaw hurt. Something inside of him snapped and he abandoned cover altogether to charge in the direction of the Digimon Kaiser. "Hey, Jerk! Try to hit me if you can!"

Takeru looked up, alarmed. "D-Daisuke!_?_"

The Digimon Kaiser blinked, surprised by the sudden foolish action, then scowled and aimed his Digivice at the goggle boy. "As you wish, _Insect_!"

Daisuke tore off his goggles and flung them at the Digimon Kaiser with all his might, aiming for the Dark Digivice.

The Digimon Kaiser yelped, startled at the sudden projectile that struck him, forcing him to drop his Digivice, which skidded across the floor away from him. He hissed as he held his hand where it was hit. "You!"

Takeru gawked at Daisuke, startled that the goggle boy's ploy had actually _worked_. A second later he was on his feet, racing towards the opening Koshiro had pointed out to them. "Daisuke!"

Daisuke nodded to Takeru as he changed direction and bolted for the exit as well before the Digimon Kaiser recovered the Dark Digivice.

The Digimon Kaiser grabbed his fallen Digivice and whirled to glare after the two boys. By the time he had turned around, they were already out the exit and gone from his sight. He glared balefully at the goggles resting on the ground in front of him. With a snarl, he slammed his heel into the goggles, shattering the reinforced plastic with a loud crack. "_Insect_!"


	4. Chapter 3

The rough rocky wall of the cave dug into Takeru's back as he leaned against it. He breathed heavily and wiped the sweat from his brow. Daisuke stood at the blonde's side, bent over with hands grasping his knees, as he took deep gulps of breath. They had lucked out when they fled the coliseum in the direction of the cliffs and found a cave partially hidden by the lush foliage in the area. Takeru sighed as he peered past the hanging vines that obscured the cave. "I think we lost him, for the moment."

Daisuke straightened up with a pained groan that made Takeru turn towards him quickly. The brunette fell back against the wall before slowly sinking to the ground, hands covering his face. "Aw man… Hikari-chan is going to hate me. I threw away her gift!"

Takeru stared at Daisuke, then shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I think she'd be proud of you."

Daisuke raised his head, his expression dubious, but there was an almost desperate glimmer of hope in his eyes. "You think so?"

Takeru favored Daisuke with a grin as he nodded. "Yeah, that was pretty cool back there."

For a moment, Daisuke merely stared at Takeru, before a faint smile began to appear on his face. "You think so?"

Takeru flashed Daisuke a thumbs up. "_Very_ cool. The look on his jerk face was _priceless_."

Daisuke snickered at the memory. "You're telling me. Too bad he's wearing those goofy glasses. His eyes were probably bugging out when I knocked that, uh, whatever it was out of his hand!"

Takeru chuckled along with the other boy. "Yeah. I bet he's having a fit right now. Serves him right!"

Daisuke felt rejuvenated by the conversation and was back on his feet in an instant, thrusting his fist into the air with a wide grin on his face and a determined glint in his eye. "Yeah! And we're going to come up with a plan to kick his butt and get him back for what he did to Tailmon!"

Takeru nodded as he straightened up as well. "And rescue the others, too! Making Palmon do such terrible things… He'll pay for it!"

Daisuke managed to hold onto his enthusiasm for a moment more before his smile began to waver, turning into a grimace as he rubbed his head where his goggles used to be. "I still feel kinda naked without my goggles though," he muttered before he glanced over at Takeru. "So how are we going to–"

_Daisuke…_

Daisuke froze at the sound of his name. It was spoken in a soft whisper, the voice that of a young child, which held a strange quality to it, perhaps a figment of his imagination, or some distant echo that originated from deeper inside the cave. He craned his neck as he peered past Takeru, into the darkened tunnels, which somehow were not pitch black as he expected. He briefly wondered why there was enough light for him to see inside the cave without any real light source, when he heard the voice again.

_Daisuke…_

Daisuke jerked back, knowing now that the voice was not a figment of his imagination. "Huh? Who's there?"

"Hm?" Takeru blinked. "What?"

_Daisuke…_

Daisuke walked a little deeper into the cave, squinting into the dim light, but he could see nothing but rock. "Hello?"

Takeru stared at Daisuke and let out an inquisitive hum as his confusion grew. He glanced around the cave then cocked his head slightly, listening for anything unusual, but all he heard was the sound of Daisuke's feet against the floor of the cave.

_Daisuke… I'm waiting…_

Daisuke walked further down the passageway, his footsteps slow. "Someone… someone is calling me."

Takeru watched Daisuke disappear down a bend in the tunnel before he dashed after the other boy, slowing down only when he caught up. "I don't hear anything."

_Daisuke… come find me…_

A strange sensation stirred inside of Daisuke's chest. There was something important about the voice. He could not call it a familiar voice, as he was quite sure he had never heard it before, but there was some sort of feeling that came when the stranger spoke that felt oddly similar to nostalgia. His feet moved faster towards the source, as a growing sense of urgency spurred him onward. "Who are you?"

_Daisuke…_

After a few more turns, the narrow cave corridor opened up, revealing a cavern as large as the interior as the school gym. The walls and floor were smooth, carved with grooves that gave the place the appearance of being forged by brick, but there was no mortar or cracks in the stone. The place was circular, arching up into a high dome, with a strange high pedestal at the center. A set of stairs led up at least two stories high to a beam of light that connected the top of the pedestal to the center of the ceiling. Inside of the beam of light was an egg that was large enough to belong to an ostrich, colored a beautiful shade of cerulean, accented with golden dashes that formed vaguely into the shape of a V.

Takeru jerked to a halt after taking in the room, his wide eyes fixed on the column of light. "It's a… Digimon egg!" He briefly looked to the walls, which were covered with faded markings of the Digimon language. It may as well have been squiggles for all he understood of it. "What's it doing out _here_?"

Daisuke did not falter as he arrived in the cavern, brushing off its strange appearance as unimportant. Everything he had experienced so far was like a dream, and this, he felt, was the all important climax of that dream, something he _needed_ to do in order for anything to make sense at all. "I'm coming."

Takeru noticed the intense expression Daisuke wore as the other boy ascended the stairs, brown eyes never wavering from the egg floating at the top. A thought struck him so hard that for a moment he was left speechless. _Could it be… Daisuke's __**partner**__?_

Daisuke halted at the top of the steps, and gazed at the egg with reverence. "Are you the one who's calling me?" The moment the question left his lips, he felt an uncomfortable heat rise to his cheeks. It felt silly, expecting that an egg had been calling his name, and yet it felt more strange to believe that it did _not_.

_Daisuke…_

The tiny voice reverberated in the air in front of Daisuke, soft and quiet. He was drawn by the unspoken plea that was hidden in the way the one in the egg spoke his name. The tone held a desperate sense of need mingled with a swell of love so huge that the young man felt almost overwhelmed by emotion. He raised his hands tentatively towards the egg and gently drew it from the light.

The moment Daisuke touched the egg, the pillar of light condensed around it until it formed a halo of light emanating from the egg. He marveled at the egg's warmth and the heartbeat he could feel through the shell. With every pulse a crack appeared and lengthened along the shell, spilling light from within. Soon the egg shattered completely, the chunks of shell turning to data before they disappeared completely along with the strange light. A small blue blob-like Digimon sat between Daisuke's palms, barely larger than a softball. Its eyes shined in the light like two black pearls, blinking blurrily until they focused on Daisuke. A wide, curved smile appeared on its round face as it squirmed and wiggled the tail-like flap on its head. "Daisuke~!"

Takeru stared at the newborn Digimon in wonder before noticing Daisuke's face in profile and the confusion etched on the dark haired boy's features. "It's a Digimon," he said softly, not daring to raise his voice and ruin how special this moment was. "It's your Digimon partner!"

Daisuke's eyes widened as he stared at the small creature he held in his hands, unsure of what exactly he was looking at, but a strange sense of excitement began to well up within him. "My… partner?"

"Daisuke~!" the Digimon said again, happily. "I'm Chicomon! I was waiting for you!"

Daisuke tilted his head slightly. "Chicomon?"

"Chicomon, Chicomon!" Chicomon replied. "And you're Daaaisuke!"

Takeru chuckled softly as he crossed his arms over his chest. He felt gratified to see at least one good thing happened today. "Congratulations, Daisuke."

Daisuke briefly glanced back at Takeru before he returned his focus to Chicomon. "So, wait, you mean you're like Tailmon? Hikari-chan and me both have Digimon partners? And you know my name?"

"All Chosen have partners," Takeru said, "and they're born knowing who we are so they can find us and keep us safe." He paused, his smile disappearing as a sour expression twisted the corners of his mouth downward. "That Digimon you saw in the arena, Palmon, is Mimi's partner."

Chicomon giggled as he squirmed in Daisuke's hand, practically glowing with joy. "I'm so happy to see you, Daisuke!"

Daisuke laughed along with Chicomon. Somehow, despite all the strangeness, meeting the little Digimon felt utterly _right_. It was almost enough to make him not care about how many questions continued to bounce around inside his mind like pinballs. "I'm glad to see you too." It took a few seconds for what Takeru said to sink in and he looked down at the other boy. "Wait, so does that mean you've got one too?"

Creases appeared at the corners of Takeru's eyes before he nodded, his jaw tightening. "I think the Digimon Kaiser has him–"

A familiar shout cut off the rest of his words. "Air Shot!"

An unseen force slammed into Takeru from behind, knocking the Chosen of Hope into the stairs, which jabbed into his ribs and knocked the breath from his lungs, cutting off his cry of surprise and pain. He held his chest and back as tried to gulp down air while his body reflexively forced it out with rough coughs.

Daisuke jerked before whipping around. "Takeru! Are you okay?"

Chicomon jumped up, frantically waving his small appendage around. "Daisuke! It's another Digimon!"

Daisuke dashed down the stairs, barely registering Chicomon's warning as he rushed to Takeru's side. He stopped just next to the other boy when he noticed the strange creature that flew into the cavern. At first, he thought it was an overly large orange and white bat when he realized that the wings were on the Digimon's head and that its body reminded him more of a cross between a baby pig and a hamster.

Patamon looked impassively at Takeru with his glowing red eyes, hovering above his partner. The black collar around his neck did nothing to hinder him as he inflated his chest with a deep breath before unleashing another attack. "Air Shot!"

Takeru rolled out of the way, the pain making his movements slower than he would have liked. A fierce wind whipped his clothes and knocked the hat off his head, but he mercifully dodged the brunt of the blast of air. He recognized that attack, he would know it anywhere, and in any other situation it would have brought him immense relief, but now it made him sick to his stomach. "P-Patamon! Damn it…!"

Daisuke jumped back up the steps when he saw the air distort in front of him, just barely dodging the attack as Takeru had done. He watched the small pebbles that had been on the steps go flying in all directions, some bouncing hard off his legs, before he cast a wary eye at Patamon. He held Chicomon close to his body, worried that this new Digimon would attack him and his partner next. "Is this another one of your friends?"

Takeru finally managed to get his breathing back to normal, but his voice came out strained. "M-my partner…" He stumbled to his feet, trying to regain his strength. "Patamon's my partner!"

Another attack came before Daisuke could respond to this revelation. He barely had time to register that Patamon had turned directly at him after the flying Digimon shouted the name of his attack. The goggle boy jumped back in an effort to evade the unseen blast, but was unable to dodge completely as the wind struck his legs and sent him spiraling backwards onto the stairs. Daisuke instinctively protected Chicomon from the fall, but at the cost of banging his head on the steps. He yowled in pain and rubbed where his skull had hit the stone, stars dancing in his field of vision.

Chicomon's eyes widened as Daisuke fell and he called out his partner's name. "Are you okay, Daisuke?"

Daisuke hissed through his teeth before nodding, only to regret the action due to how his head swam. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I've taken a lot harder hits than that before."

Chicomon bristled as a growl emanated from him, too high-pitched to be considered threatening. He leapt from Daisuke's hand as anger and the intense need to protect his Chosen Child swelled throughout his tiny body. "Chicomon, evolve!"

The light from the Digivice Daisuke had tucked into his pocket earlier was too bright for him to ignore or pass it off as a pain-induced hallucination, particularly when that light shot out to Chicomon and engulfed the tiny Digimon. He pulled out the Digivice with fumbling fingers just in time for a new Digimon to emerge from the light – a tiny dragon with floppy ears that was no larger than a cat.

The transformed Chicomon landed a few steps past Daisuke's feet and posed with one stubby hand aimed into the air. "Chibimon!"

Daisuke gawked at Chibimon, his mouth working open and closed for a few moments before he finally stammered out something that resembled a word. "Wh-wh-what?"

Chibimon growled before racing down the steps. "I'll protect you!" He leapt into the air as he came close to Patamon, attempting to strike down the flying Digimon "I won't let you hurt Daisuke!"

"Wh-wait!" Daisuke said as he reached out towards Chibimon. "Chicomon!"

Patamon was already inflated with another deep breath when he turned towards Chibimon. "Air Sh-"

"Hop Attack!" Chibimon shouted as his head collided with Patamon's, knocking the flying Digimon downward. Patamon yelped at the blow, losing his surplus of air required for his attack as he flew unsteadily above Chibimon while the blue Digimon landed beneath him, readying for another attack.

Takeru returned to his feet, which felt unsteady, his legs wobbling dangerously beneath him. The attack had left him reeling for many reasons, not simply because it left him weak and disoriented. He had never truly appreciated just how much damage a Child level Digimon was capable of, even though he had seen it countless times and had experienced a form of it sometimes while training with Patamon to become stronger for over two years now. He felt no small amount of respect for Patamon and the others managing to take so many hits from many opponents and shaking off the damage if this was what they were really like. He knew his partner had been holding back on hurting him when they trained, but now, thanks to the mind-controlling collar, he knew just how much. Patamon was showing no mercy to him, no love, and that hurt worse than the physical blow. "P-Patamon…"

Patamon flew in a circle while shaking his head, trying to regain his bearings. Chibimon's attack did little more than disorient him for a few moments. He recovered in time to dodge another jump from the little dragon Digimon and glared at Chibimon before he breathed deep.

Daisuke sat up, his head swimming from the earlier blow. He felt angry with himself for moving so slow when his partner was in trouble, wishing there was some way he could help Chibimon. Panic joined the anger when he saw Patamon inflate like a balloon once more, as his Digivice began to glow a second time. "Look out, Chicomon!"

Chibimon squeaked and quickly dove out of the attack, which struck the steps harmlessly in his stead. The light from the Digivice resonated with him, causing him to glow. "Chibimon, evolve…" The light became too bright to see his body as more than a vague shape that grew noticeably larger. "V-mon!" When the light disappeared, it left a stronger dragon-type Digimon, with hands and feet that ended in sharp claws, fangs, and a sharp but small horn at the end of his white muzzle. He was still blue with a white belly, but he also had a mark on his forehead in the shape of a golden V, with two golden triangles on his cheeks next to his large red eyes. The newly evolved V-mon wasted no time in lunging at Patamon. "V-mon Head!"

V-mon slammed his head into Patamon's chest, knocking the air out of the orange and white Digimon in a whoosh that ended in a wheeze, sounding not entirely unlike a balloon rapidly deflating. The momentum carried Patamon across the cavern, only to collide hard with the wall.

Takeru felt sick while watching Patamon take the brunt of such a powerful attack, his chest aching in sympathy as he experienced a blow very similar only moments ago. "Patamon…" He hated seeing Patamon getting hurt, but having to watch his partner be the puppet of a cruel child's brainwashing was just as terrible. There was no choice but to attack Patamon, they had seen just how far the black ring would take a Digimon in Palmon, but that did not stop him from aching with each injury his partner suffered.

Watching rapid transformations Chicomon underwent to become V-mon was surreal for Daisuke, but by that point so many strange things had occurred since soccer practice had ended that he had given up understanding and decided to simply go with the flow. He thrust his arm into the air, shaking his fist with a wide grin on his face. "Alright, Chicomon!"

V-mon crouched after landing from the attack, his tail lashing. He glanced back at Daisuke after hearing his partner's cheering then pumped his fists in a clear imitation of Daisuke. "Alright~!"

Patamon shook his head as he climbed up onto his feet. His lip curled up in a snarl as his eyes narrowed at the Chosen. His wings flapped furiously before he jumped up into the air and readied another attack.

"Daisuke!" Takeru said. "Aim for that black ring on him! Maybe if it's broken, he'll return to normal!"

Daisuke jerked towards Takeru. "Huh? Oh, okay, if you say so." He climbed to his feet, ignoring the ache and lightheadedness that came from the bump he took earlier, and searched for a rock he could throw, or something else he could use as a makeshift weapon. Patamon was too high for him to jump like V-mon could.

"Not you!" Takeru said, trying not to found as exasperated as he felt. Daisuke had no experience, especially in battle. Even if the other kids would have assumed Takeru meant the Digimon, Daisuke had no reason to do so. "V-mon!"

Daisuke flushed lightly. "Ah, right, got it!" He turned to V-mon. "Chicomon, break the ring!"

V-mon crouched. "Leave it to me!" He nimbly dodged another Air Shot that came his way and raced towards Patamon. As he drew near, he quickly lunged forward and punched at the dark ring on the winged Digimon's body. "V-Mon _Punch_!"

Patamon coughed as the punch landed squarely on the black ring, forcing it to buckle against his stomach before it shattered to bits. The red glow of his eyes instantly faded away, leaving behind their natural blue color. He staggered back from the blow before his wings gave out.

Takeru cried out his partner's name as he ran to catch Patamon before the orange Digimon hit the ground. He held Patamon close while looking his partner over, and for a brief moment the memory of the battle of Angemon and Devimon flashed into his mind, unbidden. "Patamon, say something! Anything!"

Patamon stared off into the distance, his gaze unfocused and his breathing shaky. Slowly his vision began to clear, allowing him to focus on Takeru's worried face. "T-Takeru? What happened?"

Takeru felt a wave of relief when Patamon recognized him and his partner's breathing evened out. "Patamon… you're back…"

Daisuke darted over to V-mon and picked up the blue dragon Digimon, holding V-mon up above his head as he let out a bubbly laugh. "You did it, Chicomon! You snapped him out of it!"

V-mon blinked as he dangled above Daisuke, caught off-guard for only a moment before the boy's good cheer spread to him as well and he beamed at his partner. "Yeah!" He paused, his smile traded for a more thoughtful expression. "But I'm V-mon right now. Chicomon's my first Baby Form. I evolved!"

Daisuke stared blankly at V-mon. "Evolved?" He shook off his confusion, deciding that it was not important. "Okay, got it. Great job, V-mon!"

V-mon beamed, so thrilled by Daisuke's praise that he could not stop himself from giggling.

Takeru straightened up, carefully cradling Patamon in his arms. "Thank you, Daisuke, V-mon." He smiled briefly at the new Chosen before he glanced back down at his own partner. "I think… Patamon's going to be okay now."

Patamon shook his head, as though somehow the action would lift the fog that clung to his mind faster than it was evaporating as it was. He looked at their surroundings, not recognizing anything. When he tried to piece together where they were, another thought struck him, jerking him upright as his wings shot into the air, nearly slapping Takeru's face. "Takeru! The others! They're in danger! The Digimon Kaiser has them!"

Takeru set his jaw in a grim line as he thought darkly of the Digimon Kaiser. "We know. But we need to regroup first, and make sure he didn't do anything to Taichi and the others when he zapped them with his Digivice."

V-mon blinked, surprised by how quickly the celebration of his victory ended, and slouched a bit due to how alarmed and angry Patamon and Takeru looked respectively. The gloom only lasted a moment before he managed to perk right back up. "Okay, regroup first!" He swung his fists around. "Then, we'll punch that Kaiser right in the nose!"

Daisuke burst out laughing. He could not help himself, the image of a tiny blue dragon hopping up to punch that arrogant boy in the nose was too much for him to hold back. He barely managed to reign in his mirth so that he could speak. "Right!"

Takeru nodded before he pulled out his Digivice. It seemed to him that it would be pointless waiting around in the Digital World for the others to come back, not with the Digimon Kaiser likely sending out more controlled Digimon in pursuit. There was too much of a risk that if Patamon did not return, then the tyrant would realize where they went. Besides, they had traveled so far away from the coliseum in order to escape that it was just easier to warp to Taichi's room and then back to the coliseum using the coordinates again. He aimed the Digivice away from them. "Digital Gate open!"

The Digivice's screen flickered with light before projecting a beam that broadened into a square portal that looked hauntingly similar to a television or computer screen filled with static. Daisuke barely had a moment to gawk at the gate before the four of them were pulled through it at lightning speed. There was no chance to cry out as they flew back to the real world and flung head over heels back into the Yagami living room.

Takeru groaned, his muscles in his chest and back twitching where he had been struck earlier, as he found himself on the floor with two Digimon and Daisuke sprawled out haphazardly on top of him. "I don't remember it being _this_ rough to gate out."

V-mon blinked and glanced around, sitting quite neatly at the top of the pile on Daisuke's back. "Huh?"

Patamon squirmed out from underneath V-mon's tail. "Takeru!" He hovered in front of his partner. "Are you okay?"

Daisuke crawled off Takeru before rubbing his aching jaw where it had collided with the other boy's knee when they went crashing down then let out a low grunt. "That was rougher than going in!"

Takeru failed to hide his grimace as he used the coffee table as a brace to help him sit up. "I'm fine, I'm fine… just a bit bruised." He refused to mention how the fall aggravated his injuries. The last thing he wanted to do was to let Patamon feel guilty about being forced to attack him.

Taichi peered at the two boys and two Digimon over the back of the couch, brow creased at the sight of the arrival of the remaining members of their group. "Damn. I guess that jerk got you guys too, huh?"

Yamato hurried around the couch to help Takeru up. "You're okay!" He stopped just short as he saw Patamon hover above the couch and into view of everyone gathered in the kitchen. "Patamon_?_!"

Daisuke whipped his head around, his eyes widening as he saw everyone gathering into the Yagami living room, including the pink haired girl he tried unsuccessfully to save earlier. Relief flooded through him so hard that he doubted that he could get stand back up immediately. Up until that point he had done his best to not think about what the Digimon Kaiser's beam of darkness had done to the others, despite how a tiny part of him wondered, feared that maybe it had disintegrated them. He had never been so happy to be wrong about something before. "You're all okay!"

Takeru took a hold of Yamato's outstretched hand and pulled himself to a standing position. "He didn't 'get us.' We actually managed to escape, thanks to Daisuke."

Taichi blinked as he inclined his head towards Daisuke. "Oh yeah? That's great!" He lightly bumped the younger boy's shoulder with his fist. "Good job!"

Daisuke laughed at the playful jab and rubbed his shoulder as his cheeks turned slightly pink. "W-well, yeah, I…"

"Hey, hey, _hey_!" V-mon said, suddenly moving to grab Daisuke's leg as he glared up at Taichi. "Don't hit Daisuke!"

Taichi stared at the little blue Digimon that was trying to bore holes through him with very angry red eyes. "Huh?"

"Taichi, meet V-mon," Takeru said, with a smile. "Daisuke's partner. We found his egg after we escaped the Kaiser."

Taichi glanced at Takeru, his confusion quickly changing to a delighted grin before he looked back at Daisuke and V-mon. "That's great! I was wondering when your partner was going to show up. Welcome to the team, V-mon!"

Daisuke picked up V-mon and raised the little Digimon high above his head so that everyone could see his partner clearly. "V-mon was great! He evolved twice and saved Patamon!"

V-mon's hostility was quickly discarded, the little dragon Digimon smiling as he raised his fists skyward. "I'm gonna save _everyone_, for Daisuke!"

Taichi laughed lightly. "Sounds great!"

Mimi's eyes ceaselessly darted around the living room during the entire conversation, finally focused on Takeru when she found, to her dismay, that someone important was still missing. "But what about Palmon? Were you able to save her too?"

The question was tentative, an almost a heartbreaking plea that made Takeru's stomach clench, guilt taking the form of nausea. They had managed to save Patamon, but not Palmon. He waited for the sickly sensation in his gut to die down before he met Mimi's gaze with his own. "We're going to go back for her. We wanted to regroup first."

Daisuke flinched when he saw Mimi's shoulders quiver, her eyes dropping to the floor as they shimmered with barely repressed tears. He set V-mon down and hopped up onto his feet. "Don't worry! We'll save Palmon from that jerk! Count on it!"

V-mon jumped up as well, landing on the coffee table. "We wanted to make sure he didn't do something bad to you all first!" The entire conversation was lost on him, but he was not about to let that stop him from supporting Daisuke.

Koshiro cradled his laptop in one arm while he gazed at the screen, his expression clouded with concern. "Getting back to rescue Palmon and stop the Digimon Kaiser is going to be a problem. I can't get the Digital Gate to open again. All I'm getting is a message telling us we don't have access anymore."

Takeru whirled towards Koshiro, his eyes widening. "Wait, you don't think he locked you out?"

Koshiro nodded as he set the laptop down on the coffee table and pointed at the screen. The program he wrote to create the Digital Gate was open, displaying a complicated looking archway that normally framed live images of the Digital World. Within the frame was nothing but static and a small black rectangle that framed the word, 'Forbidden.' "He must have some sort of firewall blocking our access. We all tried using our Digivices on it already, and I've tried everything I can think of to hack it, but I'm not making any progress."

Taichi gestured at the computer. "But maybe you and Daisuke can open it, Takeru. Since you weren't sent back like we were, right? I mean, if that beam might've scrambled something in our Digivices or something."

Takeru hesitated, feeling slightly sick with a sneaking suspicion creeping up at the back of his mind. He glanced at Daisuke then crossed his arms. "But it could explain why gating out was so rough."

"Please try it anyway," Koshiro said. "We need to know if we're completely cut off from the Digital World."

Takeru nodded and pulled out his Digivice, aiming it at Koshiro's laptop. "Digital Gate, open!"

Everyone gathered tensed, waiting for something to happen, but as the seconds ticked by, hope faded. There was no glow from Takeru's Digivice to signal the opening of the gate, and the screen remained completely unchanged.

Takeru clenched fist almost painfully tight around his Digivice and spat out a curse under his breath.

Daisuke moved in front of Takeru as he pulled out his Digivice from his pocket. "Let me try." He thrust his arm outward in an overly energetic imitation of Takeru's pose, his legs spread and shoulders squared as he glared at the screen, willing with all his might for the gate to open and pull them back into that strange other world, as he practically deafened the others with his scream. "Digital Gate, _open_!"

A few of those gathered cringed or covered their ears due to Daisuke's shout, particularly Takeru since he had been standing right beside the newest Chosen. Unfortunately, Daisuke's energy seemed wasted, as he got no better results than Takeru.

Daisuke muttered a curse and tried again, throwing his arm towards the screen. "Digital Gate, open!" He gritted his teeth when nothing happened and shook his arm. "I said open!" A growl rumbled at the back of his throat and he shook the Digivice wildly in every direction "Come on and open already!"

Takeru moved back quickly before Daisuke accidentally hit him and rubbed his forehead. "He locked us all out!"

Koshiro sighed and shook his head. "That's enough Daisuke. It's clear that none of us are going to be able to get back to the Digital World as easily as we did the first time."

Daisuke hung his arm at the side, finally giving up. He clenched his fist around the Digivice so tightly that his hand faintly trembled. "That damn brat! Just who the hell does he think he is!_?_"

A feminine voice cut through the tension. "Let me try."

Everyone turned towards the speaker, Hikari, who she stood in the doorway to her room holding the door halfway open in one hand and a strange device in her opposite hand. Tailmon limped as she followed her partner, looking as though she might collapse at any moment, yet somehow she managed the strength to hold her head high as the pair walked into the living room. Hikari held up the mysterious object for everyone to see – it was a Digivice identical to the Digimon Kaiser's, only it was predominantly pink with a pearl-like sheen and white detailing.

Taichi's eyes widened. "That's…!"

Hikari held the Digivice towards the laptop. "Digital Gate, open!" Light came from the screen of her Digivice, banishing the static as soon as it touched the program, displaying the coliseum the group had entered only minutes ago.

Sora raised her hand halfway to her mouth as she gasped. "It… worked…"

Daisuke's jaw dropped. A moment later he shook his head vigorously to clear it before pumping his fist into the air. "Alright! You did it, Hikari-chan!"

V-mon mirrored Daisuke's action and jumped up in an attempt to raise his fist just as high. "We can go back now and rescue Palmon!"

Koshiro focused on Hikari's Digivice, his mind racing. "Hikari, where did you get that?"

Hikari shook her head as she looked at her Digivice. "My Digivice transformed into this, but I don't know why."

The answer made Taichi feel uneasy for a reason he could not quite pin down and he examined the Digivice with a critical eye. "It looks just like the one the Digimon Kaiser had."

"We need to go save Palmon," Tailmon said, her voice catching with heavy breaths, but there was an unyielding undertone of steel. "Before he takes her elsewhere."

Jou sputtered for a moment. "But, but… you're still too hurt! You shouldn't even be up out of bed! Your injuries–"

"The Digimon Kaiser won't wait until I'm well," Tailmon said, roughly, cutting off further protests. "As we speak our friends are being tortured and used to torture others."

Hikari bent down to gently scoop Tailmon up into her arms. "Tailmon…"

"Leave it to me and V-mon," Daisuke said as he jerked a thumb at himself and winked. "We'll protect Hikari-chan and Tailmon and save Palmon!"

Takeru cast Daisuke a brief glance before he gazed at Tailmon intently. A long moment later he turned towards his partner. "Patamon, do you feel up to fighting?"

Patamon nodded and held his paws up, digits curled into fists. "Of course!"

"Wait!" Mimi said as she stepped forward, hand raised. "I'm coming with you too!"

Takeru was ready to protest, but the words would not come. He set his jaw and nodded. He could not deny Mimi's request, regardless of the danger. It was her Digimon they were going to rescue – he would have done the same if their roles were reversed.

Taichi crossed his arms over his chest, frowning. "I want to come too, but without Agumon…" He sighed and shook his head. "Without our Digimon we don't stand a chance. It'll be better if just a few of us sneak back in while he thinks we can't open the gate again."

Takeru turned to Hikari, brow furrowed. He cast a significant gaze towards Tailmon before he met his friend's eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Hikari barely resisted the urge to move her gaze away, to look again at Tailmon and see how injured her partner was, and nodded. "I'm the only one who can open the gate right now, so I have to. Besides…"

"I'm fine," Tailmon said. "Don't worry about me."

Hikari finally broke eye contact with Takeru to give her partner a wan smile.

Takeru sighed, then turned to the laptop. "Alright, let's do this then!"

The living room was cleared out, save for Hikari, Tailmon, Takeru, Patamon, Daisuke, V-mon, and Mimi. The small group gathered around the laptop and held out their Digivices, activating the open Digital Gate to be pulled back into the Digital World once more.


	5. Chapter 4

Takeru crouched amidst overgrown bushes, his expression grim as he peered past the trees towards the coliseum. He could see the entryway leading inside the monstrous building, guarded only by a couple Gazimon. The Gazimon, while typically the minions of most evil Digimon, were clearly not doing the job willingly – the vacant stare of their red glowing eyes and black ring latched around their throats told that much.

An alarmingly loud whine made Takeru jerk and duck back into hiding quickly.

"Aw man," Daisuke said. "My clothes didn't change to the cool ones." He tugged at the sleeves of his soccer uniform, as though expecting them to somehow grow longer if he did and gain a flame pattern.

Takeru held up his finger and shushed the other boy, who jerked then had the good grace to look sheepish for speaking too loudly. Once satisfied that Daisuke remembered where they were and the seriousness of their situation, he checked to make sure that the Gazimon guards had not overheard the noise.

Daisuke craned his neck, struggling to peek around Takeru while still keeping low to the ground. "So what's the plan?" he whispered.

Takeru did not take his eyes off the controlled Digimon as they stood at their posts, their posture unusually rigid, their eyes wide and unblinking. "I don't think the Kaiser knows Patamon's been rescued yet. We could pretend he's still being controlled so he can 'escort' us in as prisoners."

Daisuke let out a low hum, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the Gazimon. "Sounds like a good plan to me, but we're gonna need to put a black collar on him like the ones they're wearing."

Takeru moved back so that he was completely hidden by the foliage and took the time to survey their surroundings carefully. His eyes eventually settled on Daisuke's left leg, specifically on the shin guard, which had been halfway exposed by a sagging sock. "What about that? Can you get the straps off?"

Daisuke blinked at Takeru then leaned back before he followed the other boy's gaze. His eyes lit up at the sight of the black Velcro straps holding his shin guard firmly in place, and he wasted no time in unlacing them from the plastic. "Great idea!"

Tailmon watched as Takeru accepted both straps and attached them together into one long strip before fastening them snugly around Patamon's waist. From a distance, it was almost impossible to tell that the 'collar' was made out of fabric. "You could also mention you recovered the 'escapee.'"

Patamon nodded. "I just hope no one looks me in the eye when they ask."

Hikari tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowed in thought. "Try flapping your wings in front of your face and keeping your gaze away from them as much as you can. That should make it less noticeable."

Tailmon glanced in the direction of the Gazimon, taking particular note of their glass-eyed stare. "I doubt they're in a state to pay too much attention to details like that."

"Mimi," Takeru said, "you should keep watch out here." He saw Mimi flinch and felt a wave of guilt at the look she sent his way. "The Digimon Kaiser will suspect something if he sees you, since he already sent you back earlier."

Mimi felt her chest constrict painfully tight. "I can't just stay out here and wait while Palmon is in there being forced to…" Her voice wavered until she choked, unable to force the words past her lips.

Hikari did her best to smile at Mimi, though she doubted that the gesture would give the older girl any real sense of comfort. "It'll be okay." She reached out to give Mimi's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We'll bring Palmon back with us as soon as we can. Then we can all go home together."

V-mon pumped his fists high above his head. "You can count on us!" He yelped when Tailmon shushed him, his ears drooping briefly. "Oh, right, it's sneaky time."

"Hey," Daisuke said, raising his voice as much as he dared to get the others' attention. He tore vines free from the trees with a grunt then tossed one to Takeru. "We better act like we're really prisoners now."

Takeru caught the vine easily and looked it over for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, you're right."

It took a while of awkward fussing with the vines, but eventually the majority of the group managed to tie their hands in a way that appeared secure, but were loose enough for them to squirm free. Mimi served to give the group a once over to make sure their bindings appeared convincing enough to fool the guards. "Don't forget to struggle a bit or they're not going to fall for it."

Takeru turned to Patamon, holding up the end of the vine for his partner to take. "Ready, Patamon?"

Patamon nodded before quickly replacing his nervous smile with a disdainful sneer. "Okay, prisoners, march." He lowered his voice into a growl as he spoke, trying his best to appear more fearsome, but he wound up sounding as though he was suffering from a particularly nasty sore throat.

Mimi watched the others leave their hiding place, crouching down behind the bushes so she could remain out of sight while still seeing them off. The tethered group had to be careful how they moved – walking too closely risked knocking one or more of them down, and too far apart meant risking the vines coming undone and unraveling their disguise. The Chosen of Purity felt her stomach twist as she noticed the Gazimon turning their dull eyes towards her friends when they drew closer to the coliseum. She had hoped that they would simply stand there and accept the charade at face value, but they crouched, their muscles tense and ready to spring, claws and glittering in the light. They flashed their large fangs in vicious sneers that were perfectly mirrored.

The Gazimon to the left was the first to speak with a voice that was high-pitched and slightly strained with a growling undercurrent that was uncomfortably reminiscent of stone scraping glass. "What're you doing?"

Patamon suppressed the urge to gulp and glared back at the Gazimon. "I've captured prisoners for the Digimon Kaiser."

The Gazimon on the right perked his ears and straightened up, his eyes darting between Patamon and the tied up Chosen, as though he had no idea who to focus his attention on. "Prisoners?"

The first Gazimon barked out a laugh that sounded both cruel and forced. "I don't think they'll last that long in the pit fights." She walked along the line of alleged prisoners before jabbing a claw into V-mon's stomach with mercifully not enough pressure to cut him. "This one especially."

V-mon yelped in pain and surprise, jerking back. "H-hey-!" He bared teeth at the Gazimon. "What's that supposed to mean!_?_"

"Hey!" Daisuke shouted. He moved in front of V-mon to prevent the Gazimon from getting to him again, forcing Hikari and Tailmon to follow quickly, lest their bindings be tested by the yanking of the vine. "V-mon can kick your butt!"

The Gazimon raised her eyebrows at Daisuke and took a moment to rake him with her unnaturally colored eyes. She let out a hollow laugh, her lips pulled back in a smile as convincing as one painted on a patchwork doll. "Stupid human! No one can take down the Digimon Kaiser or his followers."

For one terrifying moment, Patamon feared that Daisuke was ready to break free and blow their cover. He gave vine a tug and raised his voice in a cutting tone. "No back talk, prisoners!"

A grimace marred Takeru's features as he glanced back at Daisuke. It was a tricky thing trying to walk the line between protesting prisoners and people who were suspiciously mouthy to their jailers. He pulled lightly on the short length of vine tethering him to the dark haired boy, careful not to loosen the bonds holding their hands supposedly secure. He tried to silently convey the urgency of their situation with his eyes as Daisuke looked his way, hoping that the newest Chosen remembered to play along so that they could get inside before they generated too much trouble.

The Gazimon still standing near the door pointed towards it. "Take them to the prison. The Digimon Kaiser will want to deal with them personally."

"Of course," Patamon said. "You heard him, prisoners! Get moving!" He led the group forward, forced to blindly guess the direction they were supposed to go, as he knew that asking would be terribly suspicious. Once they were safely out of sight of the guards down one of the adjoining hallways, he let out a deep sigh, his body sagging with relief. "That was close…," he whispered.

Daisuke blinked. "It was?"

Hikari held up a finger in front of her lips and let out a hissing breath between her teeth while taking care to make as little noise as possible. "We don't know if there might be guards patrolling the halls too."

Daisuke scratched one of his faintly pinked cheeks. "Oh, right," he whispered. "Sorry, Hikari-chan."

Takeru surveyed their surroundings with a wary eye, searching for any sign of controlled Digimon wandering around as they tried to make their way to the prison. Fortunately, there was little more for him to look at than brownish gray stone and the occasional flickering candle set into tiny alcoves in the walls. "Let's keep going. I don't know how long we have until the Kaiser gets wind of us."

V-mon grumbled under his breath, his lashing tail smacking loudly on the ground with each step he took. "I _so_ can kick their butts."

Daisuke nodded, his expression an almost perfect imitation of the scowl firmly set in the dragon Digimon's face. "That's for sure."

Tailmon's ears canted back as she looked around. She walked at the end of the train, sporting a slight limp that she did her best to conceal from her comrades. The air was tinged with the faint scent of blood, and she could detect the faint sound of someone crying far off – no, there was more than one, their pleas and sobbing overlapping to a wordless noise that was despair personified. "This place is… where the Digimon Kaiser has Digimon fight for his amusement."

A faint tremor ran through Hikari's body at Tailmon's words. She could not hear the Digimon's suffering – her ears were nowhere near as sharp as her partner's – but a part of her, some mysterious place in her heart that was irrevocably tied to the Digital World, ached with their pain. It tugged at her chest, as though someone had tied an invisible string around it. She trusted this instinct without question, inclining her head towards the right when they came to an intersection of the hallway. "Let's go right here."

Takeru glanced back at Hikari, but she was not looking at him. "Do you think Palmon's still in the arena?"

Daisuke cocked his head slightly, perplexed at the question. "What do you mean? Where else would she be?"

Takeru switched his attention to Daisuke. "The Kaiser might've sent her after us like Patamon."

Daisuke creased his brow. "So you think she might be wandering around out there looking for us?"

The thought left a sour taste in Takeru's mouth, causing the corner of his mouth to curl. "Maybe. I– "

A sharp gasp from Hikari snapped the boys' attention away from their conversation. As one, Daisuke and Takeru looked at her wide-eyed expression then followed her gaze ahead of them. At the end of the hall was bend, leading to an area that was poorly lit, save for the gleam of light that shone off metal bars and created vague figures of shapes of various sizes huddled in the dark. Whispers, whimpers, and crying grew more noticeable as the group drew closer to the cellblock, as well as the sickening smell of blood, waste, mold, and spoiled food that assaulted the senses of the Chosen Digimon especially hard.

Takeru snatched one of the candles so that they could have better lighting when they entered the cellblock, Hikari and Daisuke quickly following suit. Wide, fearful eyes of all sorts of Digimon, mostly Adult and below, watched them, the whispering growing to an almost fever pitch. Ugly purple bruises and red welts marred the skin of virtually every prisoner. The clothing of the few dressed Digimon were stained and in tattered, the torn strips being remade into makeshift bandages to patch up bloody cuts. Only a handful of Digimon were brave enough to go closer to the bars, but most retreated. Baby Digimon huddled together in the corners, while many sat quietly in the darkness, their faces masks of despairing resignation, and more than a few lay sprawled on the floor, unable or unwilling to so much as lift their heads to see the Chosen as they entered the corridor.

Hikari's bound hands moved to cover her mouth. Her stomach churned, threatening to purge its contents. She held back the urge, but she could not stop the tears that blurred her vision from spilling down her cheeks. "How… how could he…?" Her voice wavered until she choked on a sob.

Daisuke looked through the cells, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. The strangeness of the Digimon, of the very Digital World itself, still left him off balance, but the sight of such brutality was an entirely different alien element. He had heard about cruelty, experienced some first-hand, but the level was different from mere bullying. This was something he only heard about on the news or in history books, somewhere so far away that it could never really touch him, which meant that he did not need to think about it. This was one of those far-off places and these were people suffering right before his eyes. They were not human, but that did not matter. Once the shock wore off, his rage burned so bright that it exploded like dynamite, and he tore the vines from his wrists. "We need bust them all out of here!

Takeru clenched his jaw, gritting his teeth so tightly it ached. He forced the dark feeling inside of him in to a little ball and shoved it deep inside; he did not have time to deal with it right now, and he did not dare let it distract him. These Digimon did not need his anger, they needed his _help_. He glanced around for guards and then nodded when he saw that the coast was clear. Slipping out of the vines, he moved over towards the cell doors and checked the locks. "Patamon, can you break these?"

"I'll try," Patamon said. He flew over to the nearest cell. "Stand back!" He waited until the few Digimon that had been lingering near the bars to retreat, some scrambling back with fearful cries that made him wince in sympathy. "Air Shot!"

A blast of air struck the cell door, creating a loud clang that resounded through the prison with all the finality of a church bell rung for a funeral. Some Digimon screamed at the sound, causing many in the rest of the cellblock to retreat to the back of their prisons. A handful of the more listless Digimon raised their heads. As the echo of the attack faded, the crying of fearful baby Digimon replaced it. Unfortunately, the door remained standing without a single dent to show for all the commotion.

Daisuke glared at the door as though he could somehow destroy it with an angry stare alone before finally tearing his gaze away to look at V-mon. "Think you can break down that door, V-mon?"

V-mon nodded. "Yeah!" He crouched, tail lashing eagerly behind him before he charged at top speed towards the door, head bowed in front of him to take the brunt of the attack. "V-mon Head!"

The results were the same – just like Patamon's attack, the door remained completely unscathed and the imprisoned Digimon reacted with alarm. V-mon bounced off the bars with a loud clang and landed roughly on the floor. He grimaced then rubbed his forehead and whined. "Ow…"

"It doesn't work," Takeru muttered as he crossed his arms. "I guess we should have expected that."

Tailmon narrowed her eyes. "If a Child attack could damage the bars, the Digimon would have escaped by now." A bitter knot of resentment tightened in her gut as she turned her glare to the bandages that covered her wounded body. "It has to be a stronger attack."

"Child attack?" Daisuke said as he turned towards Tailmon, his face still twisted in rage. "What do you mean?"

Hikari felt a bit awkward trying to figure out how to explain evolution simply, particularly in such a terrible place. Now was not the time for a long explanation, but this was information Daisuke needed to know. "Child level is an evolution stage for Digimon. They're stronger than either baby level but not as strong as an Adult." She shifted uncomfortably after she saw the uncomprehending look in Daisuke's eyes. "It's probably easier to show you or let Koshiro explain it when we get back."

"I'm a Child Digimon," V-mon said, helpfully. "Chicomon was my first Baby form, with Chibimon as my second."

"Patamon's also a Child Digimon," Takeru said, "but I'm going to evolve him to Adult to break the bars." He drew his Digivice and turned it towards his partner. "Ready, Patamon? Evolve!"

Patamon nodded, expression grim then thrust his arms and wings high into the air before shouting at the top of his lungs. "Patamon, evolve!"

Silence lingered as the group watched Patamon, the air charged with tense anticipation. Seconds ticked by as nothing changed, no glow of evolution, no mystical transformation, and no change in his posture. A slight quiver ran through his body as beads of sweat collected on his forehead, willing with all his might for his body to transform.

Daisuke looked from Patamon to the others and back before scratching his head. "Uh, was something supposed to happen?"

Takeru was unable to respond at first, confusion preoccupying his thoughts as he stared unblinkingly at Patamon. Reluctantly he lowered his arm and relaxed his stance. "Yes… Something was supposed to happen."

Patamon finally opened his eyes so he could look down at his small, slightly tubby body with dismay before he turned towards Takeru as panic began to bloom inside his heart. "Something's wrong! I can't evolve!"

Tailmon canted her ears back until they pressed hard against her head, ignoring the minor pain that sparked from her injuries. "What… what's happening?" She forced her gaze away from Patamon to look at her partner and comrades, but found only anxious and confused looks that mirrored her own. "Did the Kaiser do something to keep us from evolving?" Her eyes drifted down to her bandaged arms as she wondered if she would be unable to evolve, or worse, that should she lose any more of her power she might revert to Plotmon and never change back. "Is that even _possible_?"

The very idea caused Hikari's insides to clench. She slowly shook her head, more from denial than knowing the answers to her partner's questions. Given what they learned so far from the Digimon Kaiser, it was not outside the realm of possibility, and that made the evil Chosen Child an even more terrifying an opponent. "Maybe you're just hungry?"

Patamon shook his head and threw his arms out to his sides. "I'm a little hungry, but not enough that I can't evolve!"

"I was able to evolve earlier," V-mon said, his voice bright and cheerful despite the anxiety in the air.

Takeru took his moment to consider the situation, lightly touching his hand to his chin. "It might be a side-effect from that dark ring? Patamon _was_ wearing one earlier."

Daisuke broke out in a wide grin. "And V-mon hasn't ever been collared by that creep so he can still evolve!" He turned to his partner. "Then why don't you show us how it's done, V-mon?"

V-mon blinked at Daisuke. A nervous glint came to his eyes before he hesitantly nodded. He did not feel confident that he could evolve on demand; it was instinctive, so knowingly invoking it was new to him. Still, he refused to disappoint Daisuke. "R-right! You bet! I'll evolve to the best Adult you've ever seen!" The small blue dragon raised his arms. "V-mon, evolve!"

An unpleasant sense of déjà vu settled over the Chosen as the seconds ticked by and V-mon remained unchanged. He held his posture for nearly a moment before a scowl appeared on his face and he began to pump his fists frantically while hopping in place. "Evolve! E-evolve, evolve, evolve!"

Takeru sighed as he looked away from V-mon then slowly shook his head. "I don't think this tells us anything. V-mon is a newborn, so it'd stand to reason he wouldn't have the power or experience to evolve to an Adult yet _anyway_."

V-mon finally stopped flailing about to jut out his lower lip as he crossed his arms. "I… I'm sure it's the Kaiser's doing! There's nothing wrong with _me_!"

"Hey!" Daisuke shot Takeru a glare as he placed his hand on top of V-mon's head. "V-mon already evolved twice in a row and that was after he first hatched! It's gotta be that darn Kaiser messing with him!"

Takeru touched his hand to his chin, his gaze going distant as he thought back to their first meeting with V-mon. "That's possible," he said after a moment. "When V-mon evolved, we were in a different area." His eyes turned towards Patamon. "There must be something in _this_ area that's preventing evolution."

Hikari shook her head. "It doesn't matter right now if this is the Digimon Kaiser's fault or not. We need to figure out a way to open these cages before we're discovered."

Tailmon limped away from the group towards one of the cages. "Let me try." She held up her hand and watched as she clenched it into a fist. It almost felt ironic that her hands were the only place where she was not badly injured – her gloves had taken the brunt of the damage. The memory of how she was attacked was still fresh in her mind, how all seven of her comrades were manipulated by the Digimon Kaiser like mindless marionettes. He taunted her when she hesitated to attack them at first, and then for pulling back her strength so that she would not hurt them so badly. A couple cheap shots with that whip of his only made the ugly feelings towards him burn more, as it reminded her far too much of _him_. Her lip curled upward to expose her fangs and she barely suppressed the urge to growl as she drew back her fist and unleashed every ounce of her anger towards the Digimon Kaiser at the bars. "Cat Punch!"

The cell door collapsed inward with a shrieking of metal that tore through the eardrums of everyone gathered as it echoed through the cellblock. The prisoners cried out in pain and fear as they fled to the far wall. The Chosen could not help but flinch back from the sound, save for Tailmon. The door, nearly folded in half, teetered for a moment, before it fell, bursting into data as it crashed to the floor with a resounding clang.

"Alright!" Takeru said. "That works!"

Tailmon nodded, her mouth set in a thin line, as she took a moment to survey her work as well as her hand before she limped her way to the next cell. Hikari followed her, keeping a slight distance so as not to interfere with the feline Digimon's work. One by one the doors fell and were deleted. The rest of the Chosen were left with little more to do but watch her work or keep an eye out for guards. Some of the captives stirred, a few brave enough to dare inching their way to the door, but none made a move to leave their cells.

V-mon blinked at a small cluster of Digimon who stared back at him with eyes filled with uncertainty. "C'mon!" He made wide gestures around him before pointing towards the way they came. "Let's go before the guards show!"

A child size Digimon made from gray rock with large gold eyes – a Gotsumon – spoke in a quiet, timid voice that was as rough as sandpaper. "Is… is this a joke?"

Hikari did her best to appear reassuring as she smiled at the Digimon. "It's okay. We're taking all of you out of here."

Daisuke rubbed his nose and grinned. "Don't worry about the Digimon Kaiser." He thrust out his thumb before pointing it towards the ground. "We'll handle that jerk if he dares show his face."

The air was thick with tension as the seconds ticked by in silence. A handful of the prisoners managed to gather their courage and carefully stepped out through the empty doorways, as though cautious of a trick or a trap. When no unfortunate fate befell them, a swell of energy overcame the others watching from within the cells and countless voices clamored all at once as Digimon rushed towards freedom.

"L-let me out, let me out!"

"I want to escape too!"

"I don't want to be here anymore!"

"Calm down!" Takeru said, raising his voice above the din of the numerous near hysterical cries. "Don't panic, you're going to be fine now!"

Hikari held up her hands in an attempt to get the attention of the Digimon scrambling from their cells, some clawing over or trampling each other in their desperation to escape. "We're going to make sure you all get out of here. Just keep your voices down before the guards hear us."

Tailmon ignored the chaos, her eyes narrowed as she focused on the last cell. Light from the outside spilled into the otherwise gloomy room from a large passageway in the opposite wall. Through it, she saw stone seating in the distance. "This cell's empty and the door leading to the arena's open." She swept her gaze briefly through the stands, seeking any sign of the Digimon Kaiser, before she focused on the arena proper. A splash of color amidst the gray-brown stone made her eyes widen. "It's Palmon!"

The rest of the Chosen rushed to Tailmon's side and quickly saw what she did. To their horror, Palmon was still acting under the Digimon Kaiser's thrall, using her Poison Ivy attack to whip an Elecmon without mercy. It lay on the ground, unmoving, save for an instinctive flinch accompanied by a pitiable yelp that came with each strike that added a new cut, welt, or bruise to its battered skin.

Takeru felt his insides clench at the sight. "Patamon!" He turned to his partner. "I know she's our friend but… you've got to attack that dark ring on her! That's the only way to wake her up!"

Patamon nodded, his expression grim. "I understand, Takeru."

"Daisuke!" V-mon said as he crouched forward and balled his fists, ready for permission to attack.

Daisuke nodded and thrust out his finger in the direction of the arena. "Go get her, V-mon!"

"Right!" V-mon said. He charged through the cell and into the arena, Patamon following right behind. Only a meter away from Palmon, he lunged for her before she could spot either of them coming. "Hopping Kick!"

The attack cry caught Palmon's attention. She turned in time to receive V-mon's kick directly into her stomach. She let out a choked cry as the air rushed out of her and her body was sent flying backwards. She hit the ground hard, skidding for a few moments before she slowly slid to a stop. "U-Urgh…"

Daisuke jumped as he pumped his fist into the air. "Alright!" he cheered. "Go for the ring, V-mon!"

Patamon gave Palmon no time to recover from V-mon's attack, unleashing one of his own as his friend was crawling to her feet. "Air Shot!"

Palmon barely had a chance to pull herself up onto one knee before she was hit again, the blow sending her flying into the arena wall. The black ring cracked, due to the impact, the attacks, or a combination of both. The fractures quickly spread until the collar broke apart, the pieces shattering into bits of data that quickly disappeared. She grimaced and rubbed her stomach as she leaned against the wall. "O-ow…"

Patamon felt a wave of relief when he saw Palmon blink open her eyes, which were their normal dark green once again, and landed beside her. "Are you okay, Palmon?"

Palmon rubbed her stomach and let out a plaintive whine as she turned her teary eyes to Patamon. "M-my tummy hurts…"

"Palmon," Takeru said, the name coming out like a sigh. He hurried out into the arena to Palmon's side, closely followed by the rest of the Chosen. He extended his hand to her with a smile on his face. "Let's go, Mimi's waiting for you."

Hikari took a moment to savor the feeling of relief after they freed one of their captive friends then pulled out her D-Terminal. "I'll let Mimi know that Palmon is safe."

A loud voice suddenly boomed through the arena as powerfully as an explosion. "Hunting Cannon!"

"Look out!" Tailmon cried out as she tackled Hikari to the ground, saving her partner from an object that whizzed just barely over Hikari's head. An explosion immediately followed, destroying a large portion of the arena walls. Large chunks of rock that used to be the seating caused the cell they came from and those adjacent to it to cave in, cutting the Chosen off from the prison.

Takeru jerked his head, whirling towards the explosion. "What!_?_"

"Hikari-chan!" Daisuke shouted after he realized how close the attack came to hitting his friend.

Hikari shook her head slightly then focused on Tailmon. She noticed some of the white bandages had turned a dark shade of pink. "Tailmon! Are you okay?"

Tailmon's breath came between her teeth in a pained hiss as she held her side, her muscles tense. "I'm fine." She paused to swallow hard. "This is nothing."

Takeru sought out the source of the attack and quickly saw the opposite gate into the arena was open. A lone red eye glared from the dark. A tall figure stepped out from the shadows, revealing an armored Digimon with one eye, chains around its wrist, and a centaur body. The Chosen of Hope reeled as he immediately recognized their attacker. "Centarumon!_?_"

"Look!" Patamon said as he pointed towards Centarumon's neck. "There's one of those black rings!"

Daisuke looked from V-mon to Centarumon then Hikari and Tailmon before focusing on the collapsed wall. A large portion of the seating, about half the size of the soccer field he practiced on that morning, had been reduced to little more than rubble. He found his mouth suddenly far too dry as he slowly turned back to face the brainwashed Digimon. "Th-that's an Adult, right?"

Takeru nodded as he backed away slowly, his body tense, ready to dodge another attack. "Yes, that's an Adult."

Palmon shook slightly as she looked around. "W-what's going on?" Tears spilled down her cheeks as she began to tremble. "M-Mimi!"

Centarumon swept his gaze across the arena, focusing on each Chosen in turn. "You have been found guilty of treason against the Digimon Kaiser."

"Digimon Kaiser?" V-mon scoffed. "You mean Digimon _Keister_, right!_?_"

Tailmon's tail puffed up despite the bandages when she saw V-mon pat his rump. "Be careful!" she shouted, her voice slightly strained due to reopening her wounds. "He's still an Adult!"

Centarumon's gaze focused on the small cyan dragon that taunted him. Sparks danced across the barrel of his arm cannon as he dug at the dirt with one hoof a moment before he charged at V-mon. "Jet Gallop!"

V-mon yelped as he leapt out of the way of Centarumon's attack. His eyes flew open wide as he watched the ground explode where he had been standing only seconds before. "Yow!"

The near miss made Daisuke's chest lurch, his body flooding with adrenaline. "Careful, V-mon! That guy's fast!"

"Keep your distance, Patamon!" Takeru shouted.

Patamon hardly needed the warning, but he nodded as he flew high above Centarumon. He took a deep breath then blasted it at the Adult, aiming for the black ring around Centarumon's neck. "Air Shot!"

Centarumon turned in time for the air pressure to hit his helmet with a resounding clang. His narrowed eye focused on Patamon as he took aim with his sparking arm cannon. "Hunting Cannon!"

"V-mon Head!" V-mon shouted his attack at the same time as Centarumon, lunging forward to ram his head into the Adult Digimon's leg. Centarumon teetered off balance as V-mon's head collided with the side of his knee, nearly falling over. The shot went wild, arcing high into the air before it obliterated rows of seats far from any would be victims. When the one-eyed Digimon recovered he swung his arm at V-mon, but the little dragon ducked back and out of the way.

Hikari cradled Tailmon in one arm as she ran over to the fallen Elecmon, picking it up as quickly as she could manage while still being mindful of the injuries both Digimon sported. She darted for Palmon, knowing that she could not carry all three at once, but she saw no place that would be safe for them to hide from Centarumon's deadly attacks. The door the Adult Digimon came through had closed sometime during the battle, leaving them with only the option of climbing out of the arena, but that would leave them completely vulnerable to attack. She turned to Takeru as she huddled by the wall, shielding the three Digimon with her body. "We have to find a way to get Tailmon and the others out of here!"

Takeru spared Patamon a quick glance as his partner dodged a wild swing from Centarumon before he hurried to Hikari's side. He picked up Palmon before taking Elecmon from Hikari. "We'll just have to hold onto them for now."

Daisuke focused entirely on the battle, feeling a rush of excitement and pride as V-mon dodged around Centarumon's legs, striking them as often as possible, and rendering it impossible for the controlled Digimon to fire the cannon or charge. The newest Chosen Child jumped in the air, waving his fists around and whooping wildly. "Go V-mon! Kick his butt!"

Tailmon grimaced as she squeezed Hikari's arm, practically sick with frustration. "If only I could…!" She had used a lot of her energy breaking the cell doors, and the tackle she made earlier aggravated her wounds. It was a struggle not to give in to the instinctive urge to go unconscious. There was nothing left in her to assist this fight.

V-mon hopped out from beneath Centarumon when the larger Digimon split the ground with a violent strike of hooves where he had just been standing. "Boom Boom Punch!" He spun his fists around in a windmill as he pummeled the Centarumon in the chest and collarbone, aiming at the black ring as best he could, but the Adult reared back, letting the front legs take the brunt of the blow.

Takeru's eyes darted about the arena until he saw Patamon soaring in an arc to come up behind Centarumon. "Don't give him a chance to retaliate!"

Patamon nodded and went into a nosedive, colliding into the back of Centarumon's head and striking the helmet with a loud clang. "Air Slam!"

Centarumon thrashed and staggered back from the attacks before drawing back on his hind hooves and slamming his front ones down, forcing V-mon to jump back with a yelp. He lashed out at Patamon with both arms once he recovered his bearings, forcing the flying Digimon to take a sharp arc to avoid the blow. "I will crush you gnats!"

Daisuke tensed as he watched V-mon barely evade Centarumon's attack, the ground cracking where his partner had been previously standing. "Get on his back, V-mon!" he shouted. "Ride him!"

V-mon yelped as he failed to dodge one of Centarumon's swipes and was backhanded onto his tail. He skidded across the ground with a grunt, but was quick to return to his feet. He glanced over at Daisuke then nodded sharply. He charged at the Adult Digimon then leapt upwards, flipping over Centarumon's head so that he could land on the controlled Digimon's back. "Gotcha!"

Centarumon bucked his hind legs in an effort to dislodge his unwanted rider. "Get off of me!"

V-mon nearly fell, but managed to hook his legs around Centarumon's middle so that he would not be sent flying. Once he recovered, he shot the Adult a cheeky grin and slapped Centarumon's flank. "Not a chance!"

Centarumon swung his cannon back at V-mon, only for the Child to duck his attack. "I'll delete you into data!"

"Thousand Wing!" Patamon spun around in the air until he became a miniature tornado and collided with Centarumon. The centaur-like Digimon was caught completely off-guard by the attack and howled in rage, as he was sent staggering back by the blow to his neck. A crack appeared on the dark ring's surface that spread until the wicked device crumbled to pieces and disappeared into data.

Takeru could not help but grin from ear to ear, as he watched the ring disappear. "You got it! Alright!"

Daisuke pumped his fists into the air. "Alright! You did it!"

Hikari exhaled as the tension left her. "Thank goodness."

Centarumon ceased his struggling and blinked his red eye repeatedly as it ceased to glow. He shook his head to clear it then looked around at everyone. "Chosen Children. You've finally returned."

Takeru was the first to approach Centarumon. "Centarumon! Thank goodness, you've returned to your senses."

V-mon blinked as he looked around, still straddling Centarumon's back. "Huh? Fight's over?"

Hikari smiled as she moved to join Takeru by Centarumon's side. "I'm so glad you're back to normal, Centarumon."

"I apologize for attacking you," Centarumon said. "I'm afraid the Digimon Kaiser's Evil Ring made it impossible for me to disobey him."

The term caught Takeru's attention. "Evil Ring? Is that what that thing that was controlling you is called?"

Centarumon nodded as he brought is armored hand to his neck where the dark ring used to be. "Yes. The Digimon Kaiser's Evil Ring controls Digimon absolutely. The more we resist, the more we lose ourselves to their evil power."

Palmon fidgeted, anxiously. She was not sure of what was going on anymore, though she was somewhat reminded of their first adventure in the Digital World. However, there was something else far more pressing on her mind. "What's going on? Where's Mimi?"

Hikaru smiled gently at Palmon. "She's waiting for us outside. We'll go meet up with her once we free the guards too."

Takeru frowned, wondering just how many guards there were in the coliseum. "But how? We can't fight everyone when we can't evolve."

Hikari turned to Centarumon. "Could you help us, Centarumon?"

Centarumon scraped the dirt with his hoof before bowing his head. "It would be my honor, Chosen Child."

Tailmon looked at her paw for a long moment before redirecting her attention to the others. "We need to do this fast, before the Kaiser returns."

Patamon and V-mon nodded vigorously and replied in the same instant. "Right!"

* * *

><p>The squeal of joy Mimi made as she saw Palmon almost caused the gathered Chosen to wince as they watched her lunge for her partner, scooping Palmon up in a tight hug as tears welled up at the corners of her eyes. "Palmon! Palmon, you're safe!"<p>

Palmon sobbed with relief as she clung to Mimi just as fiercely as her partner did to her. "M-Mimi-!"

Hikari smiled, enjoying the wonderfully warm moment of reunion between Chosen Child and Digimon. She hesitated to interrupt it, but she could not help but think of the rest of their friends who were still lost to the Digimon Kaiser's control. "Now we just have to find the others so we can free them too."

Daisuke felt a great sense of satisfaction at his string of victories and cocked a crooked smile as he straightened up, eyes bright and energetic. "Yeah, and V-mon and I can break their Evil Rings too! Come on, let's go looking!"

Takeru looked over at Daisuke, his smile fading as he shook his head and made a negative noise. "For now, we should head back. The Digimon trapped here have already fled and the Digimon Kaiser might show up at any time, so we shouldn't stick around either." The Chosen of Hope glanced at Tailmon, who was visibly sagging against Hikari. He hesitated say it aloud, but it was obvious Tailmon was still greatly suffering from her earlier injuries and would not be able to handle any more.

Hikari nodded as she followed Takeru's gaze to her partner. She pretended not to notice that Tailmon's tough act was no longer working, but it was hard to keep her worry from showing. "Right. Koshiro can use his laptop to search the Digital World faster than we can on foot."

Daisuke looked around at the others, surprised to see the joy from moments ago replaced with unease and concern then let out a groan that came rather close to sounding like a whine. "Aww… come on, really? We're on a roll here!"

Palmon rested her damp cheek against Mimi's collarbone as she closed her eyes. "I want to go home," she said, her voice coming out as a tiny plea laced with exhaustion and strained due to stress.

Mimi stroked the petals atop Palmon's head gently. "I want to go home too, Palmon." She turned her eyes to the others in a silent plea.

Daisuke stared at Mimi and Palmon, their tear filled eyes wrenching something in his chest, then quickly looked away. A surge of guilt hit him so strongly that it left him flustered and rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, okay, fine."

Takeru looked at Daisuke with a small smile on his face before he drew out his Digivice. "Digital Gate, open!" He had barely finished speaking when he realized his error. "Oh wait, Hikari has to–"

A flash sparked from the Chosen of Hope's Digivice, engulfing the entire group in an instant, leaving no trace of them behind in the Digital World.

* * *

><p>The Digimon Kaiser stood silently on top of an Airdramon's head as he surveyed the damage from high above the coliseum. His Dark Tower was still standing, but all his prisoners and guards had escaped. Even his new toys Patamon and Palmon were gone, and it did not take much effort to figure out what had happened.<p>

A low growl rumbled at the back of the Digimon Kaiser's throat. "When the cat is away, the mice will play." He tapped his leg lightly with his coiled whip. It was going to take time and resources to recapture all the little mice the children set loose and put them back in their cells. He needed to punish them, and especially the guards. Those traitors fled with the rest of them once the collars were gone. Not that he expected loyalty from a Digimon.

The Digimon Kaiser's eyes narrowed, the muscles in his jaw tightening. "Those insects think this is anything more than a nuisance to me? That's more insulting than anything else they've done today."

With a snap, the Digimon Kaiser lashed out his whip at thin air. The Airdramon cringed back, even though the strike had come nowhere near its skin. "Get to work! A thousand lashes to whoever catches the fewest escapees!"

A mighty roar rumbled up from down below – a large group of controlled Digimon ranging from Child to Adult had been gathered outside of the coliseum, their eyes piercing red in the gloomy twilight. In the dim light of evening they looked like living shadows as they spread out, disappearing into the forest around the coliseum to become monsters that hunted the innocent and unwary in the dark.

The Digimon Kaiser watched his minions disappear with his arms tightly folded across his chest. Once they were gone he tilted his head, directing his gaze to some point in the distance. "Hmph. They think they can just come in and challenge me in my own game?" A smile that was mostly teeth slowly appeared on his face. "Those newbies have no idea who they're dealing with."


	6. Chapter 5

The Yagami apartment was filled with chatter from Daisuke as he stood in the kitchen and excitedly told all who would listen about the events that took place in the Digital World. The group was divided, some listening to the newest member of their group, a few had gone to Hikari's bedroom, and the rest focused on Koshiro in the living room as he sat in front of his laptop. With a weary sigh, the Chosen of Knowledge leaned back and closed his computer. "It's no good. I can't just search the Digital World at random and expect to find the others. We were just lucky to stumble across Patamon and Palmon. I need to try and make a program that will track down the others' unique data signatures."

Taichi inclined his head towards Koshiro. "You mean sort of like how our Digivices can track each other down?"

Koshiro nodded as he rose from the sofa with his laptop tucked in the crook of his arm. "Exactly."

Daisuke slapped his hands together. "Wham! V-mon was on Centarumon's back and riding him like a cowboy breaking in a bronco!" He jumped around in place and made exaggerated motions, as though riding an invisible horse around the kitchen counter. "It was amazing!"

Chibimon looked rather pleased with himself, his chest somewhat puffed up as he mimicked Daisuke, hopping around after his partner while waving his tiny paws. "Yeah, yeah~!"

Sora held back the urge to laugh at Daisuke and Chibimon's antics, feeling somewhat guilty about the urge, yet she could not stop herself from smiling. "It really sounds like it." She held doubts about how accurate Daisuke's account was, but the pair were obviously having fun telling their version of the story.

Takeru leaned against the back of the sofa, tuning out Daisuke's enthused chatter. "Can you figure out any reason why we couldn't evolve?"

Koshiro shook his head. "I have a few theories, but I need to test them before I can say for sure what caused it."

Takeru glanced back at Daisuke, recalling how Chibimon had evolved earlier while the rest of them could not, including the small dragon Digimon later on. After a moment, he looked back at Koshiro. "Well, we managed for now, but if we run in to anything more powerful, we're in for a lot of trouble."

Jou knelt in front of Hikari's bed as he taped down the last of the fresh bandages he had applied to Tailmon's wounds. He could not hide his grimace during the treatment. "You've _got_ to rest, Tailmon. You opened your wounds and made a few of them worse. If you push yourself too hard like this, you're going to do some real damage to your body and don't have a _real_ doctor to treat you if that happens!"

Tailmon's ears canted back as she kept her gaze focused anywhere but towards Jou, Hikari, or anyone else who cast a worried glance her way. She hardly saw the point of coddling her given her history. She knew just how much her body could handle and had suffered far worse in the past. She had told them as much, but it did not stop their concern and only served to make her partner melancholy. That fact just added to her sour mood and made her feel inclined to sulk about her circumstances.

Hikari lightly ran her fingers across the top of Tailmon's head, gently smoothing back the fur where there were no injuries. She wanted to hold Tailmon close, but it would interfere with Jou's treatment, and she was worried that she might aggravate the feline Digimon's wounds. "It's okay to rest for a while, Tailmon," she said softly. "Our friends are going to need you to recover your strength so we can rescue them."

Koshiro entered the bedroom. "Hikari-chan, is it alright if I borrow your Digivice for a while?"

Hikari looked up at Koshiro, blinking. A moment later, comprehension dawned and she quickly pulled out her Digivice. "You want to examine it, right?"

Koshiro set his laptop down on Hikari's desk so that his hands were free to accept the Chosen of Light's Digivice. "Whatever changed your Digivice must be related to the Digimon Kaiser somehow. Your Digivice is the only one that can take us into the Digital World right now, and it looks almost identical to his."

Taichi tucked his hands into his pockets as he followed Koshiro into the bedroom, a frown on his face as he got a good look at his sister's newly transformed Digivice for the first time. "Do you think the Digimon Kaiser changed Hikari's Digivice?"

Takeru shook his head. "I doubt it. He didn't want us there, so giving Hikari a way to enter the world after he locked it down wouldn't make sense."

Yamato exhaled roughly in an almost snort. "Yeah, no kidding. With all the trouble he went through to kick us out of the Digital World there's no way he could've known that Hikari could just let us back in."

Hikari furrowed her brow. "But I never even saw him before it transformed." She paused for a moment, her gaze distant. "I don't even know how it happened. I'm sure it was normal this morning."

Koshiro let out a quiet hum as considered the possibilities while examining the Digivice from all angles. He pressed the buttons next, not expecting the holy device to give him access to the features, as it was not his, but it did not hurt to test the buttons in case that feature had changed as well during the transformation. "Then it might have something to do with Tailmon's appearance at the soccer field."

Sora peeked into the bedroom, one hand pressed against the doorframe. "If you can figure out how it happened, maybe we can all change our Digivices too. Then any of us can go in."

Koshiro nodded and tucked the Digivice into his pocket. "That's what I'm hoping for. I'll let you all know if I find out anything useful."

Takeru entered the bedroom. "Koshiro, I want to try something." He opened up the laptop without waiting for a response and waited for the Digital Gate to reappear on the screen before pulling out his Digivice. "Digital Gate open!"

Silence lingered for a long moment as the rest of the Chosen watched. Despite the fact that no one expected anything to happen, there was still a sense of tension, as the others wondered if the Chosen of Hope had noticed something they had not. Disappointment replaced this fleeting feeling as the gate remained closed. Yamato was the first to speak, regarding his brother with an arched eyebrow. "We already know about that."

Takeru focused his gaze on his Digivice. "Yes, but I was able to open a Digital Gate in the Digital World." His grip tightened on the Digivice. "Both times."

Sora stared at Takeru. "What? But... it wouldn't open before."

"And it won't open now," Takeru said. He all but glared at the Digital Gate. "And yet, not even five minutes ago, I could. And I also could when we first got V-mon and decided to regroup."

Jou cast Takeru and the laptop a thoughtful look. "So you... _could_ open a Digital Gate while in the Digital World, but _can't_ in our world?" He scratched the back of his head. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I don't know," Takeru said.

Yuko's voice cut into the Chosen's conversation. "It's getting late." Her eyes focused on the clock as she leaned back against the kitchen counter, a dishtowel in one hand and a half-dried bowl in the other. "I know you're worried, but shouldn't you call your parents?"

Mimi put her hand to her cheek and sighed. "I just know my parents are going to be _so_ worried about me. I told them I was going to the Digital World to get Palmon and now we're stuck back in Japan!"

"Huh?" Daisuke looked at Mimi. "What do you mean?"

"Mimi is actually from America," Sora said before glancing the Chosen of Purity. Mimi's new look – the pink dyed hair adorned with yellow stars and wardrobe themed with red, white, and blue – was a tribute to the big move to the United States just last fall. "Mimi, you'll be staying with me tonight, and then tomorrow we'll try to do some gate bouncing to get you home."

Mimi smiled at Sora, her expression bright despite her concern for her parents. "At least that's one good thing about all this. We can have a sleepover!"

Sora let out a soft giggle. "Right."

Palmon quietly gave Mimi's arm a squeeze as she leaned against her partner, still looking rather sullen.

Mimi turned to Palmon before sweeping the plant Digimon into her arms for a hug. "It's okay, Palmon. We'll be back home with Mama and Papa soon."

Koshiro cast a thoughtful gaze towards the closed Digital Gate. "We'll need to be careful when we try sending Mimi home through the Digital World tomorrow. The Digimon Kaiser will probably try to interfere."

Takeru frowned as he looked at the laptop screen. "Right now, he's probably just waiting for us."

Daisuke scratched his cheek. "So, wait, there's other kids with Digimon and Digivices like us all over the world?"

"Nah," Taichi said. "Mimi used to live in Odaiba like us, but a few months back her parents got transferred to America."

Daisuke considered this bit of information before nodding. "Got it. So only kids from Odaiba like us can be Chosen Children, right?"

Jou let out a thoughtful hum as he slid his glasses upward. "We don't really know what makes someone a Chosen." He paused to run his fingers through his hair. "We haven't figured that out yet, to be honest."

Koshiro turned his gaze to the newest member of their team as his fingers lightly rubbed his chin. "Daisuke, have you ever lived in Hikarigaoka?"

Daisuke blinked, casting a blank look at Koshiro before shaking his head. "Nope. I've only ever lived in Odaiba."

"Is that so…" Koshiro said before exhaling loudly, his shoulders dipping downward. "Then there must be another reason why you've been chosen too."

Mimi looked from Palmon's weary face to the others and puffed air into her cheeks before letting it out in an annoyed huff. "Let's talk about this tomorrow, okay? Palmon needs to rest and I'm tired and I want to take a bath."

Daisuke rubbed the back of his head chuckled softly, hoping to disperse the tension, but it just came out awkward. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just new to this Chosen Child stuff, you know? I've got so many questions I feel like my head is gonna explode!"

Takeru glanced towards Daisuke before his gaze drifted down to Chibimon. "That reminds me…"

As if on cue, Chibimon jumped up into the air with a burst of excited energy. "I want to see Daisuke's house! I want to go home with Daisuke!"

Daisuke grinned as he caught Chibimon in midair when his partner made another jump. "Sounds like a plan to me!"

Hikari's brow furrowed. Reluctantly, she left Tailmon's side to peer outside her bedroom, leaning against the doorframe. "Daisuke, do you want me to come with you and explain Chibimon to your parents?"

A dark look passed over Daisuke's features. A heartbeat later, it was replaced with a cheerful smile, as though such an expression could never exist on his face in the first place. "Nah, it's fine, Hikari-chan. I already know if I show my parents they're going to freak out about Chibimon, or worse, they'll make me share him with Jun."

Takeru noticed the odd look Daisuke had, but what troubled him more was how Hikari directed her worrying gaze towards the newest Chosen. "Jun?"

Daisuke gave up on smiling and let out his breath in a mixture of a grunt and a growl. "My stupid older sister." He wagged a finger at Chibimon. "No matter what you've got to make sure Jun and my parents don't see you, Chibimon. If they catch you, Jun will snatch you up and probably take you away and force you to wear makeup and dresses or cram you into her closet or something."

"Huh?" Chibimon blinked as he stared at Daisuke, his bright red eyes wide with confusion.

Yamato's cheek twitched when Daisuke's insult registered, tension creeping into his muscles. "What?"

Daisuke's expression grew severe. "That's right. Jun is the worst. She's the reason why our cat ran away. She always hits you whenever you get her mad, and insults everyone behind their back, so you better not let her see you, Chibimon."

Yamato lashed out with the speed of a cobra striking, snatching Daisuke by the collar to yank the younger boy upward closer to his eye level. His face flushed with anger and his eyes narrowed into slits, as he carved into Daisuke with a look that was practically lethal. "What did you say!_?_"

Daisuke yelped and accidentally dropped Chibimon when Yamato jerked him about. He grabbed the older boy's hands on instinct before trying to pry them away from his shirt. "What's your problem_?_!"

"What's yours!_?_" Yamato snapped. "What're you doing, talking trash about your sister like that!_?_"

Takeru, like most of the people gathered in the Yagami apartment, gawked at Yamato's sudden display of aggression. "Big Brother!_?_"

Chibimon squeaked when he hit the floor, dazed for a moment. "Daisuke?" He hopped up, growing increasingly alarmed as he saw his partner being threatened. "Daisuke!"

Yamato shook Daisuke roughly, countering any attempts the younger boy had in trying to force him to let go. "If you were my brother, I'd never forgive you!" Rage bubbled over inside of him. To hear someone say such things about their siblings, it was just unforgivable! Daisuke was spitting on the very bond that siblings shared! "You're supposed to look out for each other, and here you are talking crap about her just like that?"

Taichi moved to stand behind Yamato, his expression twisted in rage as he glared past his friend's shoulder, unmoved by the startled look he saw on Daisuke's face as he locked eyes with the newest Chosen. "You've got a lot of nerve insulting your sister, Daisuke. I thought you were better than that."

Daisuke flinched as if Taichi struck him. "S-Senpai?"

"Hikari's a sister too you know," Taichi said. "How would you like it if I kept insulting her in front of you, huh?"

Chibimon's reaction was immediate and intense. His eyes narrowed, devoid of their adorable nature and instead thin and focused like a predator's. The tiny dragon Digimon bared his razor sharp teeth for a brief second before he lunged forward, digging them violently in to the Chosen of Friendship's leg.

Yamato howled in pain, letting go of Daisuke as he fell backwards. Chibimon held on to Yamato's ankle, digging his teeth deeply in to the teenage boy. The little dragon Digimon shook his head, tearing the fabric of the Chosen's pants in a frenzy.

Takeru cried out for Yamato and hurried over to his brother's side. "Chibimon!_?_"

Taichi grabbed Chibimon and attempted to pry the angry Digimon off of Yamato. "That's enough!"

All Taichi succeeded in doing was turning the baby Digimon's anger on himself. Chibimon whirled to snap his jaws in the Chosen of Courage's face, causing Taichi to jerk backwards and drop the baby Digimon. Chibimon bristled as he crouched, digging his tiny claws in to ground so deeply it shredded the linoleum tile like toilet paper. "_I won't let you bully Daisuke_!"

Daisuke stared at Chibimon. He was taken aback by his partner's anger and violence, yet he was deeply touched that Chibimon would defend him so passionately. "Chibimon…"

A loud clanging resounded through the apartment, instantly drawing the attention of the chosen to Yuko, who held a sopping wet ladle in one hand and a dirty pot in the other. She stopped striking the pot with the ladle as she cast a disapproving gaze upon the group. "That'll be enough violence in my home."

Chibimon scooted over to Daisuke and grasped his Chosen by the leg, though he kept his angry glare focused on Taichi and Yamato. "Bullies!"

Yamato grimaced as he checked his leg, where the Digimon's teeth had shredded his pants leg and broke the skin. It was not bleeding heavily, and he counted himself lucky for that. The Digimon's teeth could have done a lot worse.

"That goes for you too, young man," Yuko said as she pointed the ladle at Chibimon. "Er, I mean, 'mon. There will be no biting in my home, even if someone is behaving badly."

Taichi rubbed the back of his neck as an embarrassed heat rose to his face. He forgot that his mother had been watching the entire time. He chose instead to focus on Yamato and the wound left by Chibimon. "Um, maybe you better have a look at that, Jou."

Jou fidgeted anxiously as he seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack. Taichi's words snapped him out of it and he nodded sharply before bolting out of the room to get his medical supplies.

Chibimon's ears canted back and gripped Daisuke's leg, but he at least stopped baring his teeth at the other Chosen. "Mmmff..."

Daisuke rubbed his cheek as he looked at Yuko. "Sorry about that. Chibimon was just trying to protect me." He reached down to pick his partner up, giving Chibimon a hug. "Thanks for having my back, Buddy," he whispered in the little Digimon's ear.

Chibimon's hostility was instantly replaced with overflowing affection. The tiny dragon Digimon nuzzled Daisuke, purring happily, as he gripped the front of his Chosen's shirt. "Daisuke~!"

Mimi moaned as she pulled Palmon closer, burying her face in her partner's petals. "No more fighting, please. I just want to go to bed and forget about today."

Takeru helped Yamato over to the couch, looking down at the injury. He was still a bit taken back that Chibimon had attacked so aggressively. Still, he could see why it had happened. The little Digimon had no way of knowing that the other Chosen were not enemies given how little Chibimon knew of them – as far as he was aware, Daisuke was in trouble and needed to be protected. Takeru could not begrudge that natural instinct.

Sora hesitated to speak up, as the earlier scene caught her quite off guard, but she managed to gather her bearings enough to give Mimi a nod. Concerned weighed heavily in her expression as she looked from Taichi to Yamato then Daisuke and Chibimon before focusing on Mimi and Palmon. The plant Digimon let out a plaintive whine as she clung to Mimi, obviously just as distressed as her partner. "Yes," Sora said softly. "We should go now."

Yamato grunted as he wobbled a bit and more fell backwards onto the couch than sat down. He glanced over to Chibimon, his eyes locking with the little Digimon's. Chibimon's expression turned ugly as he directed a challenging look towards the Chosen of Friendship.

Taichi crossed his arms over his chest as he gave Daisuke a piercing glare. He was not about to get over this incident so easily. "Daisuke, don't _ever_ talk that way about your sister again."

Daisuke started to look towards Taichi, but stopped short of making eye contact. He hesitated only a moment before he turned his back on the rest of the Chosen. "Yeah," he muttered. "Got it, Senpai." He left apartment without another word, his footsteps heavy against the floor.

Chibimon peered over Daisuke's shoulder, staring hard at Taichi and Yamato. He reached up one paw to point at his eyes before pointing back at the two boys, seconds before he disappeared out the door with Daisuke.

"I think we're on notice," Yamato said.

Taichi's exhale almost sounded like a chuckle. "Seems that way."

The rest of the Chosen Children dispersed to their homes in an awkward silence. Yamato and Takeru were last after the Chosen of Friendship was patched up, departing with a slight limp. It was not until everyone had gone that Hikari finally spoke. "Big Brother, you shouldn't get too angry with Daisuke."

Taichi stared at Hikari, his eyebrows shooting up. "What? You heard him! He was spreading lies about his sister in front of everyone!"

The way Taichi raised his voice at her made Hikari cringe inside, though she did a decent job of hiding it as she shook her head. "Daisuke… doesn't have a relationship with his sister like the one we have, or the one Takeru and Yamato have."

Taichi's expression contorted into a distasteful grimace. "I'm not surprised if he's always insulting her like that."

"I've met Jun before," Hikari said. "She… well, she _really_ doesn't treat Daisuke well at all."

Taichi leaned back a bit. "Maybe if Daisuke wasn't spreading rumors about her she'd be nicer to him."

Hikari sighed and closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Just, please, don't be so hard on him. For me?"

Taichi grunted and scratched his head beneath his goggles. "_Fine_. Chibimon would probably bite me too anyway. But I'm not going to just stand around and listen to him badmouthing his sister."

"That's enough now," Yuko said, her expression troubled. The sooner she directed her children away from this topic, the better. "I need you two to help me set the table and make dinner."

Taichi felt fed up with the entire incident and was more than eager to drop the subject. "Okay, Mom."

Hikari slowly shook her head, trying to ignore the feeling of guilt that gnawed in her chest. The last thing she wanted to do was get involved in an argument with her brother, yet she knew that his stance on the matter was wrong. She felt that she owed it to Daisuke to stand up for him. As she went through the motions of helping prepare dinner and slipped into the usual evening banter as though nothing had happened, she could not shake the feeling that she should have done more.

* * *

><p>The early morning air brought a chill to Takeru's skin as he made his way to school. He exhaled a foggy cloud of warm breath that quickly dissipated from sight. He rubbed his arms through his sleeves, which suddenly felt as thin as paper, and wished he had not relied on the weather forecast that predicted a sharp rise in temperature later in the day – he could have really used his jacket about now. The only place on his body that felt warm was the top of his head, where a familiar weight rested.<p>

Standing outside the school grounds brought Takeru an extreme sense of déjà vu, as the sight of it dredged up all the feelings of uncertainty he had the day before about attending someplace entirely new, with people he did not know. Yesterday was supposed to be his first day of classes at this school, but he had never gotten past the soccer field. It left him wondering what sort of impression that left on his teachers when he never showed up, or if anyone saw him running off with Hikari and Daisuke.

Despite this, Takeru felt more at ease than he did yesterday because now Patamon was with him. The thought brought a smile to his face as his eyes drifted upward. He saw Patamon's wings occasionally tremble, probably from the chilled morning air, and was about to say something, but his partner spoke up first.

"I see it!" Patamon said, before peering down at his partner. "That's your school, right, Takeru?"

Takeru met Patamon's eyes and his smile broadened. "Yes, that's right."

Takeru recalled how his mother told him that she had quite a time explaining why he never made it to class. It was possible that the teachers would administer some sort of punishment for his truancy, such as making him hold a bucket in the hallway or something to that extent. Whatever the price he had to pay, it was worth it to save Patamon, Palmon, and many other Digimon. His duty as a Chosen always came first.

As Takeru passed through the gates, he noticed soccer practice was once again taking place on the dew-covered practice field. He scanned the bleachers, but did not see Hikari anywhere in sight. "She must be staying home to watch over Tailmon."

Patamon's wings lowered slightly. "Yeah," he said, his voice quiet.

Takeru cast his gaze upward for a moment before he focused his attention back on the soccer field. The players blended together with their similar uniforms, but after a few moments, he spotted Daisuke. Relief rushed through him as he saw the bright smile on the other boy's face, which grew bigger when Daisuke stole the ball away from a teammate and rushed it towards the goal. "I guess he didn't take things too hard the other day."

Patamon looked around the field until his eyes fell upon a duffle bag resting on one of bottom row of the bleachers. "There's Chibimon!"

Takeru quickly spotted the small blue dragon watching his Chosen play with wide, excited eyes. The blonde chuckled softly. "So he is. I can't believe he bit my brother, though." He paused, recalling the ferocity Chibimon displayed yesterday – it was a sharp contrast to how the young Digimon was acting now. He turned his gaze towards Patamon. "But I guess you would bite someone if you thought they were picking on me, too."

Patamon chanced to flash a grin down at Takeru. "Nah, I'd give them a thousand wing slaps instead. Their cheeks would be so swollen by the time I'm done they wouldn't be able to say another bad word about you."

Takeru covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. "That's what I thought."

Patamon let out a small giggle. "And if that didn't work I'd hit them with an Air Shot or evolve into Angemon and scare them off."

The attack name sent a ripple of pain through Takeru's the bruises lining his back and chest as he remembered the injuries he sustained from his partner. He felt better after a good night's sleep, and some over the counter pain medication allowed him to forget that he had been hurt at all – except for when he was reminded of it. He forced a convincing laugh as he tried not to dwell on injuries or the reason why he had them. "Just don't overdo it, okay?"

Patamon giggled until he spotted a couple of kids around Takeru's age coming their way. Instantly he froze in place, staring straight ahead, as did his best stuffed animal impersonation, and hoped that they did not notice him moving.

Takeru noticed his partner's sudden silence and spotted two boys walking in his direction. They moved slowly, their eyes fixed to the soccer field, until coming to a halt only a meter away from him. One boy had fair hair and a green shirt while the other dark hair and a red shirt.

The boy in the red shirt wore a sneer, as though he caught wind of some foul odor. "Ugh, look, it's that jerk Motomiya."

The boy in green snorted. "I can't believe the coach is letting him back on the team this year after what happened."

The boy in red briefly stuck out his tongue. "_I_ can't believe Yagami hangs out with him after what he did in the girls' locker room."

The boy in green had been about to reply when he spotted Takeru. He looked over the Chosen then focused on Patamon with one eye squinted and the other wide with a raised eyebrow. "What the heck is up with your hat?"

Takeru flashed the other boys a smile. "It's very unique, huh?"

"I guess," the boy in green said. "What is that thing?"

A burst of laughter from the boy in red prevented Takeru from answering. "Hah! Motomiya just fell flat on his face! What a loser."

"No way," the boy in green said as he focused on the field. "Hah! Look at that, he's spitting grass! What a loser."

Takeru let out an inquisitive hum as he looked towards the soccer field. He watched as Daisuke scrambled to regain his footing and chase after the ball like the rest of his team while swiping bits of grass off his face. "Ah, you're talking about Daisuke?"

The boy in the green shirt gave Takeru an odd look. "Wait, are you new around here or something?"

"Yep," Takeru said. He smiled as Daisuke reclaimed the soccer ball then turned to face the two boys again. "Nice to meet you."

The boy in the red shirt moved to Takeru's side, cupping his hand around his mouth as he leaned in close to the blonde's ear. "Look, since you're new we're going to give you some really good advice. If you want to avoid trouble you're going to want to stay far, far away from Motomiya."

Takeru blinked, looking at the two boys with innocent eyes. "Huh? Why? He seems nice."

The boy in green scowled. "Trust me, you don't want to be near him. He's the biggest troublemaker in school."

"Everyone around here hates him," the boy in red said. "Even the teachers. He cheats on tests, peeps on the girls in the locker room, picks fights, booby traps shoe lockers, and spreads nasty rumors about people behind their backs!"

Takeru found himself without an immediate response, save for a quiet hum, as he drank in the irony.

The boy in green threw his arms out to his sides. "And that's not even the half of it! You won't _believe_ some of the crap he does!"

"I hear he also beats up girls," the boy in red said. "And he steals their panties and sniffs them and even _wears_ them!"

"The worst part is he's got a really _nasty_ temper," the boy in green said. "He'll hit you just for lookin' at him funny!"

The smile on Takeru's face stretched further, to the point that it was nearly ready to snap, though he made sure to keep his tone light. "Oh, that can't be right. I'm sure those are just silly rumors that someone made up."

The boy in red shook his head. "It's all true! We swear! He gets into fights all the time. Just ask anyone."

The boy in green nodded vigorously, fists clenching in front of his chest. "That's right! Even his family agrees he's no good."

Takeru's eyes widened slightly, his smile faltering. "His family?" The memory of the incident between Daisuke, Yamato, and Taichi from yesterday popped into his head. "What're you talking about?"

The boy in red took on a severe expression. He glanced around, as though afraid someone might overhear, then spoke in low, angry tones. "The dude beats his sister. One time she came to drop off his lunch and he punched her! Right in the face!"

The accusation painted a sickly picture in Takeru's head, but somehow he managed to force out a laugh, though it sounded terribly strained to his ears. "Oh come on. If that were true, he would have been expelled."

The boy in green pierced Takeru with a glare. "It _is_ true! The teachers would've jumped at the chance, but they didn't actually see it happen. Besides, I heard his parents begged the school to let him stay since they're afraid of him too."

Takeru shook his head slightly. It was true that Daisuke said bad things about Jun, but that was hardly the same as beating her. Although Takeru had barely known the newest Chosen for more than a day, what he learned so far about Daisuke did not match the things the boys told him. In any case, the most convincing argument towards Daisuke's innocence was Hikari. Takeru knew that although she showed amazing amounts of kindness to just about anyone, she would not have called Daisuke friend if he were a bad person. Not to mention, Tailmon would have never allowed such a terrible person anywhere near her dear partner. Those two facts spoke volumes of his innocence. "Daisuke doesn't seem like the kind of person to do all that. I'm sure they're just rumors."

The boys stared at Takeru, their expressions contorted with confusion and suspicion. The boy in green spoke up first. "Are you naïve or something?"

"I thought you said you just transferred in," the boy in red said. "How would _you_ know what he's like?"

Takeru wore a placating smile. "Yes, I did say that, but Hikari wouldn't hang out with someone who would do all those things." He gave a casual shrug. "So there's no way any of it could be true."

The boy in the red shirt jerked, his eyebrows shooting upward. "Hikari? You mean Yagami? You _know_ her?"

The boy in green rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth pulling back from his teeth as he let out a short derisive snort. "Oh, that explains everything. If you trust someone like _her_ it's no wonder you don't know anything."

The reaction was far from what Takeru expected. It prickled a sense of unease at the back of his neck. He did his best to keep his face unchanged and cocked his head ever so slightly as he let out an inquisitive hum.

"Yagami ain't exactly unbiased about Motomiya if you know what I mean," the boy in red said.

"They have a thing, see," the boy in green said.

Takeru blinked slowly, eyes wide, with an expression that was the very air of innocence. "A 'thing'?"

The boy in red crossed his fingers and held them up in front of Takeru's face. "A _thing_. You know?"

The boy in the green shirt made a circle with one hand and moved a finger in and out of with another. "Do we gotta spell it out for you or what?"

The unease plaguing Takeru exploded into a burst of white-hot anger, cracking his poker face with a twitch of his cheek. The sudden tension in his body aggravated his bruising and made it difficult to keep smiling. He tried valiantly to remain unaffected and not let the boys know of his emotions, but the corners of his mouth were stretched too high and wide to be quite so convincing anymore. Fortunately, the boys seemed completely oblivious to his change in mood. "Hey, now."

The boy in green scoffed. "Yagami has a _thing_ with the gym coach too." He moved two fingers in his lewd pantomime. "And at _least_ two other students." A grouping of three fingers slid in and out of the O shape he formed with his hand. "Some girls who wanted to use the bathroom heard them all going at it right there in the stall!"

"That's how Yagami talked the coach into letting a violent jerk like Motomiya on the team," the boy in red said.

It took every ounce of willpower Takeru possessed not to give in to the shockingly tempting urge he had to punch the boy in green until his hands stopped making their crude puppet show. The Chosen of Hope tried to keep calm, but his breath came in short bursts through his teeth with a quiet hissing. His jaw twitched with the suddenly monumental effort it took to keep himself smiling despite the fact that it was making his face hurt far worse than either his back or chest. Although was trying to keep up the appearance of civility, a part of him was vexed by the fact that neither boy seemed to notice his anger.

Takeru was not the only one struggling with restraint. Patamon quivered atop his partner's head, but he no longer felt cold. The Digimon gave up the pretense of keeping his expression neutral, his hostility laid bare in his stance for all to see, as he glared at the two boys through narrowed eyes.

A long moment and a few forcefully deep breaths later, Takeru finally managed to speak, his voice as tight as his expression. "Sounds like someone's having a fun time making things up about other people."

The boy in green finally stopped the pantomime and waved his hand carelessly by his face as one eye closed. "Nah, man, it's all true, I swear. It's how she can afford to put jewelry on her _cat _of all things_. _Guess it's advertising or something?"

"She's also always carrying around tons of electronics," the boy wearing red said. "See, her family is strapped for cash, but we saw her with this expensive camera, PDA, and even a pocket computer!"

The boy in green let out a quiet snicker. "Bet you didn't think about _that_, huh?"

"If you like her you're better off getting to her outside of school," the boy in red said. "Don't bother trying to talk to her about it when Motomiya is around. He punched out the last guy who did. That guy is _super_ jealous 'cause you know he _knows_ she's already sneaking around on him behind his back, so he stalks her all the time."

Takeru forced his mouth to work, venom creeping into his voice. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The boy in green raised an eyebrow. "What, you've never heard of compensated dating before?"

Takeru could practically hear his patience break with a sharp snap. His body moved of its own volition, striking out to snatch the boy who dared to spout such lies about Hikari by his green shirt. He gripped the collar tight around the boy's neck and lifted, forcing the boy to stand on tiptoes to avoid choking. The Chosen of Hope moved in close, a shadow cast over his narrowed eyes from his bangs as he glared into the frightened brown eyes of his struggling captive. Somehow, he managed to continue smiling, though it was so strained and unnatural that it was more unnerving than any scowl he ever wore. "Want to say that again?" He spoke slightly slower to annunciate his words and fill them to the brim with his rage.

The boy in green grabbed Takeru's hands and attempted to pry them off, but his efforts proved ineffective. He sputtered out curses between choked breaths, as he was too caught up in his attempts to escape to react.

The boy in red reared back, as though afraid that Takeru would attack him next. "Wh-what's your problem!_?_"

Takeru tightened his grip, forcing out a choked gasp from his captive. He focused his gaze on the boy in red and was rewarded by a quiet yelp, but even the satisfaction that the two were now aware of his anger could not diminish it. "You are." His voice was practically a growl. "And I'm about to become yours if you keep talking that trash around me."

The boy in green wheezed, not quite in danger of suffocation, but each breath was a struggle. "L-lay off!"

"Let him go!" the boy wearing red said. "What, are you crushing on Yagami too? Don't go taking it out on us just because she's not what she looks like!"

Takeru hefted his captive higher, hoping to see the boy turn blue in the face. The boy in green let out a choke and dug his fingers into the blonde's hand, his nails scraping red lines into his captor's skin. Takeru did not notice any pain. "_You_ lay off. Off of Hikari, and off of Daisuke." He lowered the boy in green, allowing his captive a breath. The moment the two thought he was backing down afford him the opportunity to catch the boy in red off guard and grab him by the collar as well. The Chosen of Hope banged his forehead against the boy in red's, who yelped and jerked back, but could not escape his grip or his glare. "And if I _ever_ hear you, _either_ of you breathe this _trash_ about either of them ever again…"

The presence of a hand on Takeru's shoulder jarred him, putting the Chosen of Hope on full alert until he heard a familiar, oddly cheerful greeting. "Yo, Takeru!" Daisuke said. "What's going on?"

Takeru felt caught in the moment, his intense rage cut with a strange sense of awkwardness. Ultimately, his desire not to upset Daisuke made him unclench his muscles to a degree, just enough to allow the two boys to stand fully on their feet and take breath more easily. His fingers were reluctant to let go, but he forced himself to put his hands on his hips. He could not look the other Chosen in the eye, not trusting that he could wear a normal expression just yet. Instead he focused on evening his breathing and returning his voice to a somewhat more even and natural tone. "Oh, nothing much. I'm just having a talk with these guys."

Both boys staggered back, coughing between deep gulps of air, as they rubbed their abused throats. The boy in red managed to speak up first. "This guy tried to kill us! He's a maniac!"

The boy in green glared at Takeru. "W-we'll tell–"

Patamon struck abruptly, cutting off the boy in green's words with a smart slap of his wings that left red marks on both the boy's cheeks. "You'll listen to Takeru," he said. Although his voice was low, nearly a growl, it was too high-pitched to sound successfully threatening. Fortunately, the look in his eyes more than made up for his voice. "Don't you _ever_ badmouth Hikari or Daisuke ever again!"

The two boys stared at Patamon, who growled at them, crouched atop Takeru's hat. "Wh-wh-what the heck is that thing!_?_"

Patamon sent an Air Shot at the pair, holding back on the amount of power he put into it so that it merely made the two boys stagger back a few feet due to the slap of air in their faces. A moment later they were running, shrieking about a monster hat attacking them.

Daisuke stared at the two boys, then at Takeru and Patamon, his expression blank. After a moment, he burst out laughing. The expression on the two boys' faces was too funny for him to hold himself back.

After a moment, Takeru joined in with a quiet chuckle that held very little mirth, his voice thick and rough with emotion. "Cowards."

Patamon let out a soft chuckle similar to that of his partner, as he savored the feeling of satisfaction. "Let's see what happens when they spread rumors about _that_."

Chibimon watched from the open duffle bag Daisuke carried, his eyes bright and curious. "They run very fast." He paused for a moment before he turned to his partner with a smile. "But Daisuke's faster."

When Daisuke managed to calm down his laughing fit, he grinned at Takeru and Patamon, though there was a hint of sheepishness to his expression. "Thanks for standing up for me, Guys. I'm glad you're not listening to those crappy rumors."

Takeru blinked. He wondered just how long Daisuke had been watching the conversation. In the end, he decided it did not matter. He managed a slight but genuine smile as he looked back at his fellow Chosen. "Don't worry about it. I'm not stupid enough to believe that bunch of crap."

Daisuke snorted as he looked off where he last spotted the two boys. "Yeah, I figured you'd at least not believe the rumors about Hikari-chan. I can understand why they're saying crap about me, but why do they have to spread those lies about her too?"

"Because they want to hurt you," Takeru said, both to Daisuke and to himself in an effort to calm down. "And you don't care that they're saying bad things about you." His breath came out in a quiet grunt as his smile faded away. "It's pure cowardice."

Daisuke considered Takeru's words for a moment before he nodded, his mouth set in a grim line. "Yeah, there weren't any rumors at all about Hikari-chan before we became friends." He kicked the dirt. "Just 'cause she's the only one who'll be nice to a 'delinquent' like me doesn't mean she's one too! She's, like, the opposite to the extreme!"

Takeru scowled as he glared after the boys. "They're just bullies, and they'll do whatever they have to in order to get a rise out of you. They're petty cowards, plain and simple."

Daisuke sighed. "Yeah." The corner of his mouth turned up in a crooked smile. "But I don't have to like it or let them get away with it."

Takeru returned the expression. "Of course not."

Seconds ticked by in an unpleasantly tense silence. Daisuke started taking special notice of his feet as he shifted them awkwardly. Takeru waited until he could gather up the nerve to speak. "So, uh… are Taichi-Senpai and your brother still mad about last night?" The Chosen of Hope had barely opened his mouth to speak when the brunette talked over him, the words gushing out in a rush. "I mean, I didn't mean to make them mad or anything or to make Jun look bad before you know her, just if you know her you know she's kinda, well, she's exactly like those guys, see? Oh, wait, crap, I can't talk about her being bad, can I? Sorry, I mean, just, well…" Daisuke trailed off with a groan and hung his head. "Look, just, I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have said anything."

Takeru thought of Yamato and Taichi's reaction and compared it to what he had just gone through with the two boys. He shook his head. "Don't worry about it, okay? I know that we have a much better relationship with our siblings than most kids have, and I'm sure they know it too. The Digimon Kaiser has us all stressed out right now."

Daisuke nodded as he rubbed his head where his goggles used to be. He sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm still bummed that I lost my goggles to that creep."

Takeru tilted his head slightly. "Well, think of it this way. You can get them back once we beat some sense in to his empty head."

Daisuke raised his eyes to Takeru and managed a grin. "Yeah! All we need are some Digivices like Hikari-chan's and we can invade the Digimon Kaiser's face!"

Takeru let out a soft chuckle at Daisuke's attitude, but at the same time, it brought a hint of sadness to it. He found it amazing that the other boy could still be so cheerful despite having such a dark cloud of rumors and hatred hanging over him.

Patamon noticed the face of the school clock and gasped. "Takeru, I think it's almost time for the bell to ring!"

Takeru looked up. "Ah, you're right." He turned back to Daisuke and managed to smile just a little bit more easily. "We'd better hurry!"

Daisuke jerked back and whirled around to face the clock, his eyes bugging out. "Oh crap! I didn't even get changed yet!" Without another word, he dashed towards the locker room as fast as his feet could carry him.

"I'll meet you in class!" Takeru shouted as he waved after Daisuke. He waited until the other boy was out of sight before he jogged towards the school building. His expression grew thoughtful, almost amused, as he let out a quiet hum.

Patamon peered down at his partner. "What are you thinking about, Takeru?"

Takeru met Patamon's gaze with eyes that grew brighter by the moment. "I definitely see what Hikari sees in him."


	7. Chapter 6

Sora sighed softly as she headed to her locker, adjusting the skirt to her white tennis uniform. Practice was long, as always, and the uniform did not help. It was nothing as comfortable as the one she wore when playing soccer, where the uniform at least prevented others from getting a glimpse of her underwear. It was nearly impossible to catch a peek through pants, after all, and the frilly gym bloomers meant to be worn under the skirts were almost as bad as having her panties blatantly on display. Sadly, there were no girl soccer teams in Middle School or above. Just as she had left her childhood behind, so she had to leave soccer behind and join the more 'girl appropriate' clubs.

Her mother had been very happy about the change. At least _someone_ was happy about it. As it was, Sora was just trying to learn to like it, even if that task was proving to be more difficult than she ever anticipated. It lessened the odds of going crazy.

Sora let out her breath in a great whoosh, her entire body slumping as she allowed herself a chance to relax. If nothing else, she was still keeping physically active, but tennis exerted a different set of muscles than soccer, so she was left quite sore after each session. She set down her racket by the lockers before mechanically working the combination lock on her locker as her mind drifted. She wondered if she could convince the coach to let her wear different shorts underneath the skirt, perhaps something that looked less like fancy underwear and more like _pants_. Given that the coach was a man who snapped at anyone who complained too much, such as wearing summer tennis outfits when the weather was still too cold to reasonably switch from the winter uniforms, she doubted it. "Another day done…"

Sora felt far more weary than normal, but it was not exactly the tennis team's fault for that. As her thoughts took a more somber turn, her gaze grew distant. What she saw in the Digital World was a nightmare. It was hard to sleep knowing that Piyomon was out there somewhere, the Kaiser doing all sorts of awful things to her. When she did manage to drift off, she was haunted ghastly nightmares of Piyomon replacing Palmon in the coliseum, beating and deleting innocent Digimon, even hurting herself on the Digimon Kaiser's command. It took so much strength for the Chosen of Love focus on anything at all when her mind kept returning to Piyomon in an endless cycle of fear and worry.

The ironic thing, at least as far as Sora saw it, was that she was certain that if Piyomon knew how troubled she was, her partner would say something like 'cheer up!' and do everything possible to make that happen. Normally, such thoughts would make her smile, but even brief daydreams of a cheerful Piyomon quickly turned dark.

The sting of tears barely registered as Sora's vision began to waver. "…Piyomon."

A slamming locker caused Sora to flinch, instinctively looking back towards the source after quickly swabbing the moisture from her eyes with her wristband. Dismay turned to displeasure as she caught sight of a brown-eyed girl sporting long hazel hair tied back in twin pigtails. Once upon a time, Sora would have been happy to see the other girl, but those days were gone. Rie, like many of her former soccer teammates, never forgave her for missing that important game.

Rie flashed her teeth in a wide smile. "Nice game today, Sora."

Sora suppressed the urge to flinch at the nasal whine Rie's voice took on whenever the twin tailed girl tried to sound sarcastic. It was one thing she did not miss when she quit soccer, and it made her sometimes regret not choosing to join the volleyball team instead. The redhead tried her best to smile, but she was unable to put any sincerity into it. She simply was not in the mood to deal with Rie. The best she could do was hope that if she ignored the sarcasm, she would not have to address it. "Thank you."

The smile slipped from Rie's face and she blinked exactly three times before her cheeks puffed up with air and her brow furrowed into a glare that pierced through Sora. The Chosen of Love hoped that Rie's confusion towards the missed sarcasm would linger long enough for Sora to finish changing and escape the locker room. Sadly, luck was not with Sora that day. "Oh yeah, you're _so_ good." Rie said, raising her voice so that everyone in the locker room could hear her. "The way you got three faults was _so_ cool. You play tennis even better than you play soccer. Just how _do_ you _do_ it?"

Sora felt her insides twist, but she hid the displeasure from her expression. She knew that Rie was in the mood for a fight today and would not be deterred. A fight was the last thing the Chosen of Love wanted, especially if it was as pointless as the passive-aggressive needling of a whiny girl who could not let go of petty grievances. Of course, she was _never_ in the mood for a confrontation with Rie, but she had never been less willing to be in the other girl's presence than she was at that exact moment.

Sora opened up her locker without looking at Rie. She snatched up her belongings and stuffed them into her bag before slamming the door shut with a loud bang that made Rie and the other girls standing near her flinch back. She would change in one of the restrooms in the main building or go back home in her tennis uniform if she had to. She refused to waste any more time with Rie breathing down her neck, and she did not trust her former friend not to try anything underhanded. The memory of one such incident from a month ago was still fresh in her mind. Her mother had to take her to a salon to dye her hair back to its natural color after Rie snuck green food coloring into her shampoo bottle.

Sora made a dash for the door, her bag clutched awkwardly in her arms along with her racket. She kicked the door open and barely spared a backward glance at her tennis teammates. "Bye!" She felt a small measure of satisfaction when another kick to the locker room door cut off whatever Rie tried to say in response with a mighty slam.

Once free of social obligation to linger in the locker room, Sora found herself hesitating. What little pleasure she felt in her escape left her, as she realized that she had outright fled from her former friend and likely everyone inside understood that as well. She could faintly hear their muffled voices through the door and caught her name once or twice along with laughter. She hugged her belongings to her chest and forced her feet to move, leaving the locker room behind her.

Sora hated this part of herself, a part that shied away from confrontation so strongly. Back then, after she had let her team down, she was unable to face them, their disappointment and accusing looks. She chose to leave the team rather than deal with their anger towards her. It was no different when she avoided the other Chosen upon learning about her Crest. It was a problem she knew she had, but it was still there, plaguing her life.

"I can't believe she still cares about that," Sora muttered, though a part of her wondered if that was really the case. The sheer amount of animosity felt disproportionate to one missed soccer game, especially due to an unavoidable injury. There was something else there, but she could not fathom what it was, and Rie was certainly not going to tell her. She sighed and shook her head slowly. "But I guess… even if I knew, it wouldn't change anything."

It was becoming all too clear to Sora that, as she got older, her world became far more complicated. Suddenly, it felt like her peers had an increasingly oppressive affect on her behavior. That was not to say that she had never experienced peer pressure in elementary school, but it felt far less forgiving now than it had been then. Being denied a chance to return to the sport she loved and instead forced to join a more 'womanly' sport was only the beginning.

Sora shook her head, trying to dismiss the darkness plaguing her thoughts, and quickened her pace to put more distance between her and Rie. She had more important things to do than feel sorry for herself or let bullies bother her. She was the Chosen of Love – it was her duty to save the Digital World and, more importantly, her partner, as well as the rest of her friends. She needed to hurry and get back to the things that _really_ mattered.

Even if it felt like all she was doing was still running away.

* * *

><p>Koshiro leaned back in his chair, which creaked in time with his weary sigh. Through heavy-lidded eyes, he watched strings of data compile on a large wide-screen monitor placed on the left side of his desk. The monitor to the right displayed the Digital Gate, which displayed nothing but static where it should have shown a clear image of the Digital World. His computer set up had become impressive over the years. Every birthday, every holiday, he requested parts to upgrade and add to his system, which took over about half of his bedroom with large bulky boxes of state of the art electronics. Despite all this hardware and software at his command, and the years he spent researching computer programming, nothing he did seemed to make a dent in the firewall the Digimon Kaiser used to lock him out of the Digital World. He ran his thumb across his Digivice, which rested between his keyboard and mouse, hooked up to his computer by wires. "I suppose these results shouldn't be unexpected…"<p>

With another sigh, Koshiro stopped the data feed with a single click of the mouse and rubbed his weary eyes. He was used to reading streaming data and absorbing information at high speed, even for prolonged periods of time, but six hours was a bit much even for him. It was all so frustrating that he had spent so much time working over the problem, yet he felt no closer than when he had started.

A gentle voice made Koshiro snap his head up. "Be careful, dear," his mother Yoshie said as she pushed open his bedroom door with her hip, carefully balancing a tray of snacks and tea. "You might go cross-eyed."

Koshiro blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes again. His mother's interruption reminded him just how weary his body was from sitting too long and he stood up to stretch. "Thank you for the snacks, Mom."

Yoshie set the tray down on a small end table beside Koshiro's desk then let out a small gasp. Her expression grew troubled as she looked at the snacks she brought. "I did it again. I brought something for Tentomon as well."

Koshiro looked at the two glasses of tea and extra snack cakes, his expression solemn. Normally at this time of day, Tentomon and he would thank his mother and then they would discuss the latest project they were working on. After spending so much time together, he taught his partner many things, including his passion for computers. It was wonderful having someone who understood him and the terminology he used, who was eager to help him with his latest ideas. They had grown so close and that fact made the knowledge that at this very moment Tentomon was now the Digimon Kaiser's slave, brainwashed into doing terrible things for the Kaiser's amusement…

It was too much for Koshiro. It took him a moment before he managed to give his mother a wan smile. "It's okay, mom. We'll get Tentomon back soon."

Yoshie's gaze lingered on the extra food for a moment longer before she nodded. She knew this was harder on Koshiro than it was on her. She made sure to wear a bright smile when she turned to her son. "Yes, that's right. I'm sure you'll save him."

Koshiro smiled back at his mother, the gesture just as tinted by a lack of cheer as hers. "Thank you for the snacks." He took a bite of one of the cakes, but barely tasted the sweetness of it. The tea he drank to wash it down could have been water or something utterly vile and he would have barely noticed the difference. His mind was too full with thoughts of Tentomon, the Digital World, and the Digimon Kaiser to pay much attention to anything else. When he was not focused on his work, his thoughts continued to stray back to what terrible things Tentomon might have been experiencing at that very moment. Even contemplating this corrupted Chosen Child's motivation was something he could not bear to entertain, as it drew his mind back to his partner. Worrying was not going to bring Tentomon back. Hacking into the Digital World and understanding how it had changed in the last two years was their best hope of saving all of their partners and the Digimon.

Yoshie watched as Koshiro's eyes unfocused. She could see he was already a million miles away from her, so small talk was a futile gesture. Her expression softened as she felt an almost out of place swelling of pride when she thought of how dedicated and focused her son was, how readily he faced such a monumental task with maturity most children simply did not possess. Somehow, he managed to keep strong when the stakes were unimaginably high and everything seemed to go wrong. Some days she could scarcely believe that her little boy had already grown up so much.

The rhythmic chirp of an electronic device cut into the silence. Koshiro mechanically worked his way through another cake. He heard the noise, but it barely registered.

Yoshie blinked and let out an inquisitive hum as she looked over to the bed and spotted the source of the noise – Koshiro's D-Terminal. "Ah, it must be your friends."

Koshiro nodded as he swallowed the cake he had been eating. He lingered on his thoughts a moment more to sip his tea before he moved to the bed. "They must be wondering if I found out anything." He flipped open his D-Terminal, already preparing a brief response in his head. Those thoughts disappeared instantly as he noticed that the email he received was not from any of the Chosen, but Centarumon. His eyebrows shot up as he read short message.

_I have found something of interest to you._

Koshiro read the message a second time, his already racing with possibilities and questions, but he forced himself to send a reply that asked simply what it was. The response came quickly.

_It is a sacred treasure my clan has guarded for centuries. They bare the mark of the Chosen._

Koshiro could barely contain his excitement, his fingers flying across the keyboard of the D-Terminal as he asked for more information. The reply he received was simply coordinates to somewhere in the Digital World. He paused for a moment to remember the location by number alone, but gave up quickly and darted over to his computer to bring up the simple map of the Digital World he used a program to create just before the Chosen Children made their initial entry and lost their partners. The place was a rather innocuous looking rocky canyon.

Koshiro quickly sent an email to the others with the coordinates. His mind was already abuzz with possibilities and an almost desperate hope that this sacred treasure could give them the edge they needed to take down the Digimon Kaiser and reclaim the Digital World. "Maybe…" he muttered.

Yoshie lingered a moment more to watch her son before she quietly slipped out of the room, leaving him to work in pace. She knew from his expression that something important was happening, so it would be best to leave him to it. He needed space to concentrate and her presence would only serve as a distraction. Ultimately, she could do little for him but offer refreshments.

It struck Yoshie as a rather ironic situation. Children were supposed to focus on school and playing with their friends while the adults took care of the important tasks. She, like the other parents of the Chosen Children, were left with little option but to get out of the way and let their children bear the burden of far more significant duties. Maintaining a house and going to work practically felt like the busywork of children when comparing it to the most important job of all – saving the world.

* * *

><p>The Chosen were making another trip into the Digital World, but with a significantly smaller group. With the presence of the Digimon Kaiser as a looming threat, the Chosen decided that it would be best if only the children who had Digimon to protect them should go. The only exception was Taichi, who refused all attempts to dissuade him from going in spite of the danger he would be in.<p>

The Digital Gate appeared in a flash of light and closed a moment later, leaving a group of Chosen Children and Digimon in the Digital World at the bottom of a massive canyon. Filled with nothing but dirt and rocks, the canyon felt lifeless. Massive walls of jagged brown rock spanning hundreds of meters into the air loomed above them on both sides, cutting off much of the sunlight. The blue sky looked more like a distant river that snaked its way in front of them, directing them on the path they were to take. The walls were peppered with dozens of caves. Narrow paths carved into the cliff side connected the caves higher up, while the ground below showed signs of wear from countless footsteps. The caves, at first glance, appeared completely dark, but a cursory glance into a couple of the ones on ground level gave a hint of some light source further in.

The small group of Chosen had arrived in the Digital World without any trouble. However, they did not expect to receive another unexplained outfit change upon their arrival – and the outfits seemed even more outlandish than the previous set. Takeru could never remember owning a full-length leather bodysuit, let alone wearing such an outfit. And yet, as soon as he arrived in the canyon, he found himself decked out in leather like some sort of outlaw biker from a movie rather than the clothes he wore during that fateful day in August two years ago. The Chosen of Hope shifted uncomfortably as he tugged on the leather top. _I'm going to roast in this thing._

"Alright!" Daisuke shouted as he tugged on his jacket complete with flame pattern. "I've got my cool jacket back." He paused for a moment then tugged at the goggles resting atop his head. "And Hikari-chan's goggles are back too!" He turned to Hikari, eager to show her then stopped, outright gawking at her change in apparel.

Hikari noticed the look Daisuke gave her then glanced down at her new clothes. Her outfit had changed to a lovely off-white dress, layered with ornately patterned lace underneath the skirt that went well with the white tights on her legs and the elegantly shaped off-white boots that came up almost as high as her knee. She reached up to feel the pin that held back her bangs, now ornamented with a flower shaped like the crest of light, its petals holding an iridescent sheen and adorned with small pearls at the center. Over her heart was a hand-sized emblem of the Crest of Light, shimmering in the light in a similar pearl-like sheen as her hairclip. She did a small twirl, which made her skirt flare up a bit, giving her a better look at the subtle patterns in the stitching that were too complicated for her to make out, yet held a strange sense of familiarity. It took her a moment to find her voice, which came out hushed in slight awe. "So pretty…"

Mimi cast an envious gaze towards Hikari that mixed with a sense of genuine delight and sighed. "Ahhh... Hikari, I'm so jealous! Your dress is so beautiful!" She looked down at her clothes, the red, white, and blue color scheme of her t-shirt and jeans were fashionable and reflected well of her enjoyment of her new home in America, but that was not the point – the problem was that this was the same outfit she had picked from her closet this morning. Her cheeks puffed out as she looked around at the others. "Why does everyone get new clothes except _me?_"

Taichi shrugged, back in the clothes he wore during the days of their initial adventure back in August, though better fitting than the real clothes his mom donated once he grew out of them. "Dunno. What I'm wondering is why Takeru looks like a biker now instead of wearing his old clothes." He cast a disapproving look in Hikari's direction. "And why Hikari looks like she's ready for a wedding."

"W-wedding?" Daisuke said in a voice that carried a hint of a tremor to it. Heat rose to his face as his imagination ran wild, adding a veil to Hikari's outfit that he could see himself removing from her face at a church in front of all of the other Chosen. A goofy smile slowly spread across his face. "Hikari-chan would make a beautiful bride..."

Mimi covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Hikari's dress is pretty, but it's _not_ a wedding dress just because it's white. A wedding dress is much, much, _much_ more elegant and sophisticated." She turned to her partner. "Right, Palmon?"

"That's right!" Palmon nodded sagely as she crossed her arms. "There's so much more to it than color!"

"It doesn't matter!" V-mon said. "Daisuke looks so _cool_!"

Daisuke snapped back to reality and beamed at his partner. "Really? You think so, V-mon?"

"Of course!" V-mon said, with a bright smile on his face.

Taichi fixed eyes on V-mon as his eyebrows raised. "Hey, wait. When did you evolve to V-mon? You were still Chibimon when we came here."

V-mon was about to respond when he realized who it was that spoke to him. He instead clamped his mouth shut and stared _hard_ at Taichi before turning his back to the Chosen with an audible snort.

Daisuke blinked at Taichi, thoughts of exploring the cave completely forgotten. "Eh? What do you mean, Senpai?"

Hikari noticed the confusion in Daisuke's expression. "You didn't make Chibimon evolve?"

Daisuke felt acutely uneasy when everyone focused their attention on him and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, no." His nervousness grew as the group continued to stare at him and V-mon, guessing his answer was insufficient. "Was I supposed to?"

Taichi scratched his head. "Huh. Weird."

A familiar masculine voice brought the Chosen's attention away from Daisuke and V-mon. "Chosen Children, it is good to see you." The group turned to see Centarumon walk out from one of the caves lining the canyon floor.

Hikari was the first to approach the Adult, her footsteps light and careful as she cradled Tailmon in her arms. Back in the real world, she had initially wanted to stay behind to tend to her injured partner, but Tailmon had been just as stubborn as Taichi was to come as well. "It's good to see you too, Centarumon."

Taichi perked up at the sight of their friend. "Yeah. So what are the sacred treasures you were talking about?"

Centarumon turned about and looked back at the Chosen only briefly before he walked back into the cave. "Follow me." The group did as they were told, entering the cavern and allowing the Adult to navigate them through a network of passages illuminated periodically by torches that lined the walls. The multitude of branching pathways soon left everyone feeling lost as they were led ever upwards. The worst part of the trek was when they were required to leave the cave system briefly to navigate the narrow paths along the cliff to reach the next cave. Everyone felt overwhelmed with relief once they finally reached their destination at the top of the canyon wall. The Chosen barely had time to catch their breath before it was taken away at the sight waiting for them.

A monument of sandstone had been built atop the cliff. It had four sides that tapered off into a point high up into the sky, making it look almost like a pyramid or an obelisk. Each brick was carved with countless elaborate symbols that formed an intricate pattern too complex to figure out its meaning. The pathway was lined with polished white stones that reflected the sunlight to such a degree that they were difficult to look at directly without the children hurting their eyes.

Takeru was the first to find his voice. "Wow…"

Hikari's eyes were wide with curiosity. "It looks like a… shrine?" Her gaze drifted to Centarumon, who nodded slightly in confirmation.

Mimi focused on the artful designs etched into the sandstone and stepped closer to get a better look. "Those drawings are so pretty!"

Daisuke blinked and tilted his head, but the only thing he found impressive was the size of the structure. "It's… big, I guess."

Taichi raised his eyebrows. He felt a sense of wariness from pyramids in general after the last time they visited one. "What's it for?"

"Our sacred treasures," Centarumon said. "Though this is just for the ones in this area." He resumed walking, leading the Chosen down the path towards the shrine's entrance. "There are many other temples just like this one."

Takeru forced his gaze away from the pyramid and hurried to catch up with Centarumon along with the others. "So there's more than one sacred treasure?"

"Yes," Centarumon said. "The ones in this particular temple have been guarded by my people for a very long time. My clan is numerous and spread out across the Digital World, with a different faction protecting each shrine and the sacred treasures housed within them until their true owners come to claim them."

"Sacred treasures…" Mimi said quietly. "It's almost sounding like when we first got our crests, doesn't it?"

Hikari glanced down towards her chest where her crest used to be before focusing back on Centarumon. "Does this mean these treasures might be something like our crests?"

"I believe so, yes," Centarumon said.

The interior of the shrine was well lit despite not having any noticeable light source. The walls and floor were blank, with no other entrances within the large chamber. The dimensions of the chamber were about the size of a school gym, making it almost oppressively empty, as the only thing there was a rectangular stone altar at the center that was no bigger than a kitchen table. The Chosen barely had time to take this in before Centarumon stopped abruptly and pointed to the altar. "Look."

The Chosen drew closer and saw two colorful egg-shaped objects resting atop the altar. The most striking thing about the artifacts were that one bore the mark of the Crest of Love while the other sported the Crest of Hope. The egg marked with Love was silver with twin bladed wings on either side of it. The one with the symbol of Hope was gold with a pair of wings that bore a striking resemblance to Patamon's.

Takeru gasped, his eyes immediately drawn to one of the artifacts in particular. "It's… Hope!"

Patamon flew after Takeru when his partner dashed off for the altar. He hovered over the egg-like object, examining it from all angles. "It kind of looks like me!"

Takeru briefly glanced up at his partner before looking back at the strange item. "It does, doesn't it?"

The rest of the Chosen were quick to join Takeru and Patamon at the altar, with Centarumon following at a more sedate pace. He waited until they were all gathered around the artifacts before speaking again. "When you mentioned that you could not evolve, it made me remember an ancient prophecy of our clan. It said that these sacred treasures are to be guarded until they are needed by the Chosen in order to combat the monumental power of evil." He paused, his front hoof digging into the ground. "When I asked our elder if this could be that time, he–"

A coarse voice cut off Centarumon's words, too loud to ignore, which created an echo off the shrine's high ceiling. "I said that if those giant towers ain't monumental powers of evil, then they're the Kaiser givin' us the middle finger! Either way, it pisses me off."

Centarumon and the Chosen turned towards the entrance and saw a Digimon shaped and sized much like a human, an old man to be specific. His body was covered in long, scraggly gray hair to the point that his eyes and most of his body were no longer visible. He wore a ragged brown tunic that did nothing to hide his gigantic hairy feet. His hands were large as well and covered with vibrant red gloves, one hand clutching a staff with am oversized bright yellow cat's paw attached to the top, which he used as a walking stick. He moved with a slight limp, which created a galloping pace as he crossed the span of the shrine to join the group.

The hairy Digimon, Jijimon, slammed his staff against the floor once he was within arm's length of the group. "So get off your ass and give 'em to the Chosen."

Centarumon bowed the front half of his body as his eye drifted towards the floor. "Elder," he said, his voice heavy with respect.

Jijimon barely paid Centarumon a glance before focusing on the Chosen. "They look like monuments, they're evil, and it's givin' off a helluva power." He made a broad sweep at the air with his staff. "Voilà, monumental powers of evil."

Taichi blinked then scratched his head as he took in Jjijimon's words. At this point he was no longer surprised when Digimon suddenly showed up to give them important information. "I guess that makes sense."

Centarumon shifted, his words coming with an underlining sense of unease. "Elder, I believe it was meant more in a metaphorical–"

_Whack._ Jijimon smashed Centarumon upside the head, his staff striking the taller Digimon's helmet with a resounding clang. Centarumon staggered back before tumbling backwards onto his hooves and collapsed into a heap.

Jijimon tapped his staff against his shoulder, tilting his head back as he turned towards Centarumon. He gave the impression of staring down at the fallen Digimon despite the fact that his hair completely hid his eyes. "_I'm_ the elder." He knocked the end of his staff against the floor. "_I_ get to decide if it's literal, metaphorical, physical, or metaphysical." He turned the head of his staff towards the Chosen, pointing towards them. "And I'm sayin' that there's no better time than the present."

The Chosen Children looked awkwardly at one another after Jijimon's display of violence, uncertain of what to make of it.

Hikari looked at Centarumon in sympathy and decided that it would be best to redirect Jijimon's attention before the elder Digimon decided to strike someone else. She nodded her head towards the objects. "What are they? They look like Digieggs, but…"

"Digimentals," Jijimon said. "They're like primitive Crests, and supposedly help you evolve when normal evolution is impossible."

Takeru gasped, his eyes widening. "Like what happened at the arena!" A surge of hope shot through him and he leaned forward. "How do we use them?"

Jijimon threw his arms outward. "Damned if I know!"

The group groaned, some nearly falling over. Taichi grunted and scratched his head beneath his goggles. "Why am I surprised? I should be more surprised whenever someone _does_ know anything for sure about ancient artifacts and stuff."

Mimi sighed and placed a hand to her forehead. "Well, at least we know they're supposed to help us evolve."

Takeru looked over the Digimentals and tapped them lightly before letting out a quiet hum. The others joined him in examining the artifacts more closely, but they saw nothing to indicate how they were supposed to use the Digimentals.

A chime from Taichi's D-Terminal caught his attention. He pulled it out to read the email, surprised to see that it was from Sora. "I guess Koshiro has the video feed working back in the real world again," he muttered. He raised his voice and looked towards the other. "Guys, Sora and the others see the Digimentals too and she says something's weird with hers. It doesn't look like any of Piyomon's forms and they're not covered in metal like this." He lightly rapped the egg for emphasis, but instead of making a metallic chime, as he expected, the sound was more like a dull thud. "Eh?"

Hikari took a closer look at the Digimental of Love. She had to admit, it did not remind her anything of Piyomon, unlike the Digimental of Hope, which seemed perfectly suited to Patamon. "Strange…"

Daisuke scratched his head. "So what're we supposed to do? Crack the eggs open and see what's inside?"

Mimi covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. "That would be funny if our Digimon evolved by eating super powered omelets, right, Palmon?"

Palmon blinked as she looked up at Mimi, then tilted her head. "I'd rather have your Mom's omelets."

"Me too!" Mimi said.

Hikari let out small giggle tinged with nervousness as she looked towards Mimi and Daisuke. "I don't think breaking the eggs is a good idea."

Another chime of the D-Terminal drew Taichi's attention. He looked over the new email and a light flush appeared on his cheeks after he read it. "Uh, yeah, Sora agrees." He decided the others did not need to know that her exact wording was a reprimand towards him knocking on her Digimental and risking it breaking.

Takeru shook his head. "We couldn't even if we wanted to." He rapped his knuckles against the Digimental of Hope, which resulted in a dull thumping noise. "This looks really fragile but it's actually hard as a rock."

Jijimon snorted and banged his staff against the ground. "Ain't it your job to figure it out for yourself? You're the Chosen." He sighed and shook his head. "Damn kids these days, wantin' everythin' figured out for 'em."

While Jijimon's words were caustic, the group reluctantly conceded that old Digimon had been immensely helpful. Even if they did not know _how_ to use these Digimentals, they at least _had_ something that would help them. It was simply a matter of time before they could figure out the artifacts' secrets.

Takeru shook his head before furrowing his brow as he gazed intensely at the altar. He reached for the Digimental of Hope, and started when he felt how light it was. "It doesn't weigh anything at all!"

Daisuke picked up the Digimental of Love and examined it from all angles. "Huh. You're right. It's like I'm carrying a bubble."

"It's just one more thing about the Digital World, huh?" Takeru said with a chuckle. "Even physics can't argue with Digimon logic."

"Damn right it can't," Jijimon said. "This is the Digital World, not the Logical World!"

Taichi took the Digimental of love from Daisuke. "I'll hang onto that until we get it back to Sora."

Daisuke blinked, startled, and felt somewhat sheepish. "Oh, okay."

V-mon's cheek twitched as he glared at Taichi, then muttered under his breath. "Don't tell Daisuke what to do."

"I guess we're just going to have to keep the Digimental of Love safe until we rescue Piyomon," Hikari said with a touch of sadness in her voice.

A voice dripping with venom broke into the conversation. "I don't think so."

The Chosen jerked and looked around blindly at first, as the new voice echoed off the walls, but soon their attention focused on the entrance to the shrine. Standing just outside, wearing a vicious grin, was the Digimon Kaiser.

The young dictator drank in the group's shocked expressions before snapping his fingers. The wall in front of him shattered into countless pieces as a giant insect Digimon destroyed it. The group instantly recognized the Digimon and only Daisuke and V-mon were spared from recoiling instinctively. Their enemy was Kabuterimon. Around the insect Digimon's neck was another of the black rings. There were no eyes that they could see glow red like the other controlled Digimon, but the way he salivated and stood hunched over hinted that his mind was gone.

The Digimon Kaiser pulled out his whip and snapped it at the air in front of him before pulling it taut between his hands. "What did I tell you about trespassing in my world?"

Mimi screamed. "Kabuterimon!"

Taichi hissed a curse under his breath as he saw Kabuterimon looming over them. He opened his mouth and began to speak his partner's name, but the words died on his lips as he remembered that Agumon was not there. His insides twisted and his anger grew, both for the Digimon Kaiser for stealing their friends away, and for the poor choice he made to leave Agumon and the others at the mercy of the Digital World without any means of evolving to defend themselves.

Hikari shuddered at the sight of their brainwashed friend. "He… he can evolve our partners too?"

The Digimon Kaiser barked out a mocking laugh that rang through the partially destroyed shrine. "Of course I can! Far better than any of you could!"

"You…!" Takeru clenched his fists until they were so tense they trembled. Though anger was quick to color his thoughts, a terrible hypothesis formed in his head – if the Digimon Kaiser could still evolve Digimon, that meant the tyrant was most assuredly responsible for why the Chosen could not. "What have you done_?_!"

The Digimon Kaiser's upper lip curled in a faint sneer as he directed his gaze towards Takeru, his eyes almost completely obscured by the outlandish tinted glasses he wore. "I don't need to answer _you_, Insect." He cracked his whip against the ground, cracking the tile and sending tiny shards of sandstone in all directions. "Except with a lash of my whip against your back!"

"Hey!" Daisuke said. "Just why are you stealing other people's Digimon for anyway? If you're supposed to be a Chosen kid like us, doesn't that mean you got one of your own you can boss around?"

A quiet, but dark chuckle rippled through the Digimon Kaiser's body. "This is _my_ Digital World." A smirk played across his lips as he spread his arms out wide to his sides. "That means everything in it is _mine_."

The words turned the anger in Takeru's heart to hatred and he spat out a curse at the Digimon Kaiser before he turned towards his partner. "Patamon!"

Patamon snapped out of his stupor. He had been so caught up by the surprise of Kabuterimon's appearance that he tuned out much of the conversation. He nodded to Takeru, his body tensing up. "Right!"

The Digimon Kaiser hummed out a strange little melody as his smile took on a twisted note of pleasure. He waited for signs that all the Chosen were tense and ready before he threw his arm out towards the group. "Go, Kabuterimon!"

Kabuterimon let out a high-pitched hiss as he hovered forward into the temple. His head scraped against the ceiling and widened the cracks he made earlier, causing more blocks of stone to fall.

"Scatter!" Tailmon shouted. The Chosen did not hesitate to do as she ordered, each running in different directions to avoid the chunks of stone raining down upon them or the swiping hands of Kabuterimon as he lashed out for them.

Jijimon hurried to the altar and ducked behind it, with Centarumon close behind him. The elder Digimon raised his head over the stone structure, just barely enough to allow him to watch the battle. When a large stone fell towards him and Centarumon, he batted it aside easily with his staff, his eyes never leaving the battle.

Centarumon crouched behind Jijimon, his eye shifting from the stone that nearly hit them and the older Digimon. "Shouldn't we help, Elder?"

"No," Jijimon said, his voice calm and carrying the weight of authority behind it. "This is a Chosen fight."

Centarumon rose to his feet. "But if they lose–"

Jijimon thwacked Centarumon in the shoulder with just enough force to drive the other Digimon to his knees. "Then they're not very Chosen, are they? Even after I went through the trouble of givin' them those Digimentals. So sit down, shut up, and watch."

Centarumon grunted from the impact, but did not utter a word. His body was tense with disapproval and the desire to act, but ultimately he did as his elder ordered him and remained still.

The Digimon Kaiser's laugh echoed through the remains of the shrine as he watched the Chosen scramble away from Kabuterimon and the rocks, hesitant to attack their friend. "Yes, run! Run, _Insects_!" He cracked his whip in the air, which served as a signal for Kabuterimon to launch a breath attack that tore through the floor, barely missing the fleeing children and Digimon.

Daisuke took a single step out from behind the large rock he used to take shelter from the attack so that the Digimon Kaiser could see him shake his fist. "Big talk coming from a guy who's can't even fight his own battles!"

The Digimon Kaiser focused on Daisuke as his laughter died down and a sneer soured his expression. "So says the little bug hiding behind a rock." A heartbeat later his cruel smile returned. "It suits you."

Tailmon leapt from Hikari's arms, aiming her fist at Kabuterimon's neck. "Cat Punch!" Unfortunately, her movements were slowed due to her injuries and the giant Adult countered her attack with a vicious swipe of his giant hand. The impact of their fist against his palm racked through her bones, but, ultimately, her diminished strength gave out first and she was sent flying. Her back collided with the wall, creating a spider web of cracks in the stone. She grunted, biting back the urge to scream due to the pain, and slid to the ground, slumped over and breathing heavily as she hissed out a curse.

Hikari felt her heart leap into her throat as she saw Tailmon hit the wall and ran to her partner's side. "Tailmon!"

Tailmon's ears twitched at the sound of Hikari's voice. She whispered her partner's name in a shaky breath as she clawed at the wall for purchase, trying to pull herself back onto her feet before Hikari made it to her side. "If only I weren't… I'd be able to…!"

Hikari shook her head as she took Tailmon into her arms. The feline Digimon tensed at first, as though she considered trying to escape, but ultimately slumped against the Chosen of Light with a defeated sigh. "It's alright," Hikari whispered, her voice as gentle as a caress. "You're still injured. Let the others handle this."

Daisuke noticed that Hikari and Tailmon were out in the open and Kabuterimon had turned in their direction. They were too far away to reach his position behind the boulder without opening themselves up for attack. He dashed out of hiding in the opposite direction from the girls, waving his arms around and making crude gestures at the Digimon Kaiser. "Hey!" he shouted. "Digimon Keister! Bet you couldn't hit me before I get over there and punch your stupid nose in!"

The Digimon Kaiser directed his narrow gaze towards Daisuke, his cheek twitching. He cracked his whip to catch Kabuterimon's attention and pointed towards the insulting boy with the handle of his whip. "Get him."

Kabuterimon answered with a roar before he lumbered towards Daisuke, breaking off more of the shrine's ceiling. Daisuke yelped and scrambled back to avoid falling rocks and a swipe of the giant insect Digimon's hand.

V-mon felt his heart leap into his throat as he saw Daisuke in danger and cried out his partner's name as he ran at top speed for Daisuke. He dove into the dark haired boy, knocking them both to the floor just in time for Kabuterimon's hand to swipe over their heads and send the boulder they had been using for shelter into a high the wall. The giant rock splintered to pieces upon impact, forcing the other Chosen deeper into the shrine to avoid the rock shrapnel.

Daisuke propped himself up onto his elbows as he stared at what remained of the boulder. Broken chunks of it were embedded in the wall, surrounded by a spider web of cracks that let in thin streams of light. "Whoa…" For a moment, he could imagine what would have happened if he had remained behind the boulder or if V-mon had failed to save him, but almost as quickly, he chased the image away, unwilling to picture such a grizzly fate. "Th-thanks, V-mon."

V-mon nodded, but his eyes were not focused on Daisuke. He stood crouched between his partner and Kabuterimon, his glare boring into the enslaved Adult Digimon. He watched as Kabuterimon's wings began to move and the insect took to the air. "It's an Adult Digimon. I…" He was young, but he knew the difference between his power and Kabuterimon's was vast. Even still, he knew that Daisuke was depending on him. "I'll try my best, though!"

Daisuke got back onto his feet and clenched his fists. "Right. Think you can evolve to Adult too, V-mon?"

V-mon balled his hands into fists as well. "I… I'll try!"

The Digimon Kaiser chuckled, idly twirling his whip in slow circles. "Forget about it." Kabuterimon hovered above his head, casting a dark shadow over the tyrant. "You can't evolve. None of you can."

Daisuke directed a baneful gaze towards the Digimon Kaiser. "Oh yeah? And why is that?"

The Digimon Kaiser's smile slowly stretched, showing off his teeth. "Because I won't let you."

Daisuke's glare faltered due to his confusion. "Huh? You won't _let_ us? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," the Digimon Kaiser said, his voice slow and patronizing, "that so long as I am in control of this area, you're completely useless."

"Hey!" Daisuke pointed at the Digimon Kaiser. "You're not the one in control here! Centarumon told us that this place belongs to him and his clan! You're not the boss of them or anyone else!"

The Digimon Kaiser regarded Daisuke, his eyes unreadable due to his glasses, but the twist of his mouth clearly conveyed his disgust for the other boy. "Of course I am. I own the entire Digital World. My Dark Tower proves my control over this whole region."

Daisuke blinked, as the retort he half formed in his mind was chased away by the strange new term. "Dark Tower?"

Tension crept into the Digimon Kaiser's face and stance. He snapped his whip taut between his hands, the sound echoing through the shrine. "Surely you've noticed the giant monoliths to my greatness."

Taichi stumbled back a step when he realized Kabuterimon had gone still. He cast a suspicious gaze towards the Digimon Kaiser. "What're you talking about?"

The memories of the arena were still fresh in Mimi's mind after what happened to Palmon. She remembered the giant black obelisk that loomed over the coliseum, but had barely given it much thought. "You mean that big black building that looked like the Washington Monument?"

Suspicion prickled at the back of Takeru's mind. The tower had seemed strange when he first laid his eyes on it, but so many unusual things appeared in the Digital World almost at random that it did not stand out terribly much to him. "So you made that?" That fact bothered him quite a bit, as it begged the question of what the obelisk's purpose was and how many more there were. Were they a sign of the Digimon Kaiser's control, or did it serve a more sinister purpose?

Daisuke's eyes drifted to the ceiling and after a moment's thought, he realized what the Digimon Kaiser was talking about. He arched an eyebrow, one eye squinting slightly as his mouth twisted into an odd expression. "Oh, you mean those big black stones. I thought you were just compensating for something. You know, like those guys who buy big fancy cars because they're too ashamed to shower with other guys."

The Digimon Kaiser jerked back, his jaw dropping in shock as he gawked at Daisuke. His surprise only lasted a moment, an ugly snarl marring his features as he struck the ground with his whip, leaving behind a deep groove in the floor in front of him. "Compensating!_?_"

Daisuke's expression smoothed out, save for a wry grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You heard me."

The Digimon Kaiser tensed until his body began to twitch. He cracked his whip into the air and raised his voice into a ragged, almost bestial snarl. "Kabuterimon!"

Kabuterimon reared back and turned in Daisuke's direction as he curled up, building a massive ball of crackling energy in front of him. "Mega… Blaster!"

Daisuke yowled as the giant ball of energy flew towards him and grabbed V-mon's wrist, dragging the little dinosaur Digimon along as he retreated as fast as he could. He barely dodged the blast, which created a large crater as it impacted with the floor. The air pressure and chunks of rock knocked into his back, sending both him and V-mon skidding across the ground with a cry.

Takeru tensed, his breath caught in his throat when he saw how close Daisuke and V-mon came to being hit and turned to his partner. "Patamon!"

Patamon knew what Takeru wanted from him, which pained him. "I'm sorry, Takeru. I can't."

Takeru jerked slightly, not expecting that response. "What? Why?"

"I can't feel your energy," Patamon said. "I've been trying, but I can't find it. I can't evolve!"

Takeru reeled at the news. "It's just like before…" he muttered.

Patamon turned his disheartened gaze towards Kabuterimon, who was reading another attack on Daisuke. "What are we going to do, Takeru? I don't think we can defeat Kabuterimon even if we all work together as long as Tailmon is hurt and the rest of us are stuck in Child level."

"We might not have to," Takeru said. "We only need to destroy that Evil Ring around his neck."

The Digimon Kaiser's wicked laughter barely carried over sounds of destruction as Kabuterimon tore through the shrine in pursuit of Daisuke. "You run almost as fast as you run your mouth, _insect_." He placed his hands on his hips, watching the devastation from a safe distance. "Keep running, for all the good it will do you!"

"Daisuke!" Taichi shouted. "Duck left!"

Daisuke pulled V-mon against him as he changed direction abruptly, taking a blind leap to his left, tumbling across the floor. The action barely saved him not only from a sideways swipe of Kabuterimon's hand, but a giant slab of stone that fell from the ceiling and collided where he had been running. The large Adult batted the stone away, sending it crashing through one of the walls only a couple meters away from Mimi, who shrieked and darted in the opposite direction. Daisuke scrambled onto his feet quickly, shaken from the near miss, but kept running, only sparing a brief glance towards Taichi over his shoulder. "Thanks, Senp–"

Another swipe of Kabuterimon's hand cut off Daisuke's words as the tip of his fingers collided with the boy's back at the arc of his next attack, sending the boy tumbling end over end across the room.

V-mon cried out Daisuke's name then cast an angry and suspicious gaze towards Taichi. then snorted before focusing on running with his partner.

The Digimon Kaiser smirked as he pulled his whip tight with his hands. "Thank you for your assistance, _Senpai_."

Taichi cringed as he watched Daisuke fall and jogged over to Takeru, lowering his voice. "We've got to distract Kabuterimon and the Kaiser. It's the only way to give Daisuke a chance to get away."

Takeru nodded, his expression grim. "Maybe it can give our Digimon an opening too."

Sweat trickled down the back of Daisuke's neck. His breath was rough from exertion. Though he was in good shape from playing soccer, running for his life drained far more energy than a simple game. "V-mon," he said between pants, "think you can break the ring with your head butt next time he takes a swipe at us?"

V-mon nodded sharply. "You bet!"

Taichi put some distance between himself and the others before waving his arms wildly. "Hey! Hey! Over here, Tough Guy! Did you forget about the rest of us or what?"

"Go for it, Patamon!" Takeru said in a harsh whisper.

Patamon nodded and flew towards Kabuterimon.

Taichi frowned when Kabuterimon paid him no mind, so he refocused his attention. "Hey! Digimon Kaiser!" He pulled down an eyelid and stuck out his tongue when he saw the other boy look his way. "If you were really any good Chosen you wouldn't _need_ to steal someone else's partner!"

The Digimon Kaiser's cheek twitched again, his lips curling up in a snarl. "I don't need to take that from the likes of you! You, who _abandoned_ your Digimon in enemy territory without a second thought!" He pulled out his whip and pointed. "Get him, Kabuterimon!"

Kabuterimon whirled about before charging at Taichi with a feral snarl.

Taichi felt as though the Digimon Kaiser had struck him someplace deep and vulnerable. Unfortunately, he had no time to stand reeling from the verbal jab, as Kabuterimon was coming for him. A yelp slipped out before he ran in the opposite direction of his controlled friend as fast as his legs could carry him.

Daisuke slowed to a halt when he realized that Kabuterimon was no longer after him and eagerly took the moment to catch his breath. "G-go for it, V-mon!"

V-mon nodded and chased after Kabuterimon. Patamon flew around the large Adult's head, but the fact that Kabuterimon would not hold still made it difficult for either Child Digimon to catch up with him.

Mimi felt as though her heart was caught in her throat as she watched Taichi barely evade repeated attacks from Kabuterimon. She stood with Palmon at her side, a growing sense of helplessness keeping her still. She, like Takeru and Patamon, had found out only minutes ago that none of them could evolve in this place.

A sudden beep caught Mimi by surprise, eliciting a shriek from her. She realized a heartbeat later that it was her D-Terminal, and fished it out, hoping for some word from the others that might help them. She blinked at the message, reading it a second time. "Slow him down?" she muttered. "But how…"

Inspiration struck and Mimi when she saw Kabuterimon land. He did it every time he encountered the ceiling and had to crush more of it. She pointed towards the Adult's legs. "Palmon! Grab his legs! Hurry!"

Palmon nodded, and darted forward, stretching out her vines to their fullest. "Poison Ivy!"

Kabuterimon stumbled to a stop as Palmon's vines coiled around his legs. Before he could yank himself free, Patamon's Air Shot struck the back of his head, just above the control collar. He turned and took a blind swipe at the flying Child Digimon as Patamon flew past his head. This gave V-mon the chance to jump onto his back. His struggles against the smaller Digimon struck the children as something akin to a kaiju movie, where the giant monster battled against tiny tanks and planes.

V-mon climbed halfway up Kabuterimon's body. When the Adult twisted about and tried to grab him, he jumped, aiming for the Evil Ring. "V-mon Head!"

Unfortunately, Kabuterimon turned in time for their heads to collide. The Adult's armor was stronger than the diminutive dragon's skull and he fell with a cry, striking the ground hard enough to leave cracks in the stone. He lay against the broken tile, dazed from the pain running through his limp body.

Daisuke was instantly at V-mon's side, scooping his partner up and running again before Kabuterimon could take another strike at him. "V-mon! Are you okay?"

"Daisuke…" V-mon moaned, disoriented. "I didn't do it, did I…?"

The Digimon Kaiser laughed. "No, you _didn't_. You're nothing more than an _irritation_," He then paused as his smile widened. "It'd be in your best interests to leave now before I'm forced to _hurt_ you."

Taichi's breath came in and out as a hiss between his clenched teeth. "You say that like you're not trying to _kill_ us!"

Daisuke jerked back. "What? _Kill_?"

The Digimon Kaiser paused before his eyes narrowed. Tension flooded his features, his jaw clenched. "If that were true, you'd be _dead_ now."

Takeru gestured widely at the damage about them, glaring hard at the Digimon Kaiser. It was impossible to miss the wreckage of the temple, the crumbled walls and deep gashes created by Kabuterimon. "Then how do you explain all _this_!_?_"

The Digimon Kaiser tugged his whip repeatedly, creating a sharp snapping noise each time he pulled it taut. "Enough. Enough! If you won't leave willingly, I'll send you out on your ungrateful asses!" He pointed at Kabuterimon. "Stop messing around with that pathetic plant already! Break her fingers if you have to!"

Mimi shrieked and pulled Palmon back, breaking her partner's concentration. "Palmon! Let go!"

Palmon yelped and retracted her vines out of instinct, freeing Kabuterimon just before he lashed out, his hand driving into the ground and splintering the rock where her fingers had been only an instant before.

Patamon took advantage of Kabuterimon's momentary distraction to fire a blast of air at the large Adult's exposed neck. The attack grazed the edge of the Evil Ring, splintering off a few mere slivers of it. A crack of the Digimon Kaiser's whip was his only warning before Kabuterimon focused on him and threw a large ball of energy in his direction. He dodged most of it, but a tendril of electricity grazed his wings, sending him falling to the ground with a cry.

Takeru bit back the instinctive urge to cry out his partner's name as he clenched his fists. "Damn." He raised his voice. "Scatter!"

The Digimon Kaiser cackled as he watched the Digimon and children race in different directions. "Yes, scatter!" He moved at an idle pace to get a better look at the fleeing children and came to a stop at the entrance of the shrine. "Scatter like _insects_!" The sun shining at his back cast dark shadows over his face, but they did nothing to hide his twisted smile. "Little gnats fleeing from a much larger fly!"

Taichi ran in the direction opposite the way Patamon fell and waved his arms around, though he kept his glare focused on the Digimon Kaiser. "Insects, insects, insects! If we're so insignificant to you then why don't you swat us yourself instead of brainwashing someone else to do the dirty work for you?"

Daisuke caught on to Taichi's plan and jeered at the Digimon Kaiser. "It's 'cause he's too much of a whiny _coward_, Senpai!"

The Digimon Kaiser growled deep in his throat. "You–"

Palmon's shout drowned out whatever threat the corrupt child had been about to say. "Poison Ivy!"

The Digimon Kaiser tensed just as the vine-like fingers nearly ensnared him and darted to the side at the last second to evade them. Palmon tried to redirect the path of her vines to follow his movements, but missed as he surprised her with a jump that cleared at least two meters. He snatched her fingers once he landed as she made another attempt at him and flashed Mimi a terrible smile before he jerked Palmon towards him. The plant Digimon shrieked as he yanked her off her feet then spun her around high in the air in a wide circle. Palmon barely had time to feel dizzy before he abruptly yanked her about, sending her crashing into the wall close enough to Mimi that the shocked girl's pink hair whipped about in the breeze generated when Palmon flew past.

Mimi shrieked and dropped her D-Terminal from her suddenly numb fingers. She ran to Palmon's side as her partner slid down the wall. "Palmon! Are you okay?"

The Digimon Kaiser was not finished. He had not released the plant Digimon's vine-like fingers and instead swung his arm backwards, forcibly pulling Palmon back away from the wall and past Mimi. Then, he whirled his arm forward again, slamming Palmon in to the wall once again with an audible _crunch_. The wall cracked and splintered as the Digimon's body hit the hard surface with a scream.

Mimi shrieked Palmon's name as she watched her partner was battered repeatedly against the wall. Heedless of the danger, she tried to catch Palmon when the plant Digimon came near her, but the Digimon Kaiser yanked Palmon back at the last second, just inches away from her outreached hands.

Taichi froze, his entire body rigid as he watched the Digimon Kaiser beat Palmon without mercy. "Stop it!"

Hikari could not bear to look, tearing her eyes away from the scene, as she hugged Tailmon closer. Every scream Palmon made was a knife through her. She could not imagine the pain her friend was experiencing, or how much Mimi suffered from being forced to watch.

Takeru attempted to rush the Digimon Kaiser, only to be cut off by Kabuterimon. The Chosen of Hope scrambled away as the insect Digimon lashed at the ground in front of him, narrowly missing the boy. "Damn it!"

Patamon almost sent an Air Shot towards the Digimon Kaiser, but he had no clear shot due to how the boy flung Palmon about. The chance was too great that he would miss. Instead, he forced himself to take advantage of Kabuterimon's inattention and made another attempt at destroying the Evil Ring. Unfortunately, the Adult moved at the last second to intercept Daisuke, who attempted to charge the Digimon Kaiser as well. The air hitting the back of Kabuterimon's head caught the controlled Digimon's attention and he turned towards Patamon, forcing the smaller Digimon to dodge another attack.

The Digimon Kaiser laughed as he pulled his arm back yet again, as Palmon struggled uselessly against him. "This is what happens to those that defy me, _insects_!"

A gruff voice cut through the Digimon Kaiser's laughter. "My, my. That's not very _kind_ of you, is it?"

The Digimon Kaiser faltered in his swing, losing his momentum so that Palmon fell limply to the floor rather than impact against anything with any real force. He stumbled slightly before straightening up, whirling to stare at Jijimon as the Ultimate Digimon left his hiding place and stood on the altar. "J-Ji... Jijimon!"

Jijimon smiled crookedly. "Why dontcha let the girl go? I think you made yer point."

The Digimon Kaiser gazed at the Ultimate in silence before he straightened up as he tightened his grip on Palmon's fingers. Palmon twitched, too dazed and disoriented to do much more than lay on the ground in a crumbled heap. "I don't take orders from you."

"Now, V-mon!" Daisuke shouted. He and V-mon ran around Kabuterimon in opposite directions, which forced the Adult to hesitate in choosing which to go after first. This allowed them to barely slip past Kabuterimon's grasping fingers.

The Digimon Kaiser glanced over at the charging Chosen and his Digimon. He scowled as his fingers tightened around Palmon's fingers, which he still held captive as the plant Digimon was unable to resist. He crouched as he brought his arm back, then swung Palmon around horizontally, using the nearly unconscious Palmon to strike both V-mon and Daisuke as they came close. "Insects!"

Mimi felt as though her heart was being squeezed with each blow Palmon took. She held her hands close to her chest, her eyes so full of tears she could barely see her partner any more. "Stop it! No more! Let her go! Let Palmon go! _Please!_"

The Digimon Kaiser paused at that, turning to look at Mimi. His expression was unreadable for a moment before he suddenly tossed away Palmon's fingers, allowing the vine-like tendrils to land on the ground beside him. "Hmph."

Mimi noticed and did not hesitate to race over to Palmon's side, heedless of the danger. To the surprise of the others watching her, she made it and pulled her partner into her arms, holding Palmon as delicately as if the battered Digimon was made of glass. The bruising already starting to form on Palmon's green skin made Mimi's heart ache all the more and her breathing hitched as she repeated Palmon's name in a strained litany.

The Digimon Kaiser watched Mimi, his face a blank mask that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. After a few moments, he turned away from Mimi and back to the others. "Get out now, or I'll be forced to keep hurting you."

"My, my, so there _is_ some _kindness_ left in you," Jijimon said, his smile widening even as there was no amusement in it or his voice. "And here I was, thinkin' it'd take a _miracle_ to get through that _darkness_."

The Digimon Kaiser tensed, a shudder running up his spine. He turned to stare hard at Jijimon, his jaw clenched. The Digimon returned the stare, and the two looked at each other for several long moments before the human child finally broke the gaze and proceeded towards the ruined entrance of the shrine.

Hikari looked from Tailmon, who was still covered in bandages, to Palmon, who was covered in darker blotches of green – bruises no doubt – and barely conscious in Mimi's arms. A swell of emotion rushed through her, sorrow, anger, and even a desperate sense of confusion. "Why are you doing this? If you're really a Chosen Child like us, how can you be so cruel to the Digimon?"

The Digimon Kaiser twitched and his fingers clenched into fists. He kept walking as he ignored Hikari, heading outside of the temple. Once he was past the doorway, he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. Instantly, an Airdramon flew down into view and lowered its head before the human tyrant. The Digimon Kaiser leapt up on top of its head before turning to glare balefully at the Chosen, feet planted firmly on the flying dragon Digimon. "Kabuterimon. I expect results."

Kabuterimon answered with a mindless roar before he began generating electricity between his palms. The Chosen were forced to start running again, lest they become the target of their friend's attacks. Even Mimi had been forced to blink away her tears and carry Palmon away when Kabuterimon began to turn her way.

Takeru grit his teeth as he glared after the Digimon Kaiser as the other boy flew away. It was infuriating. The whole thing infuriating to the point of being maddening. The way the Digimon Kaiser tortured Palmon in front of them was inexcusable. However, he did not have much time to think about what had happened nor its implications beyond his intense rage, when he found himself ducking behind a smashed pillar to avoid a glancing blow of electricity. "Damn it!"

Takeru tried his best to focus on the situation, but it seemed equally frustrating. Battling Adult level Digimon with only Child Digimon was difficult, but it was much harder when their opponent was as experienced in fighting as Kabuterimon. Palmon and Tailmon were far too injured to fight, Agumon was still a captive of the Digimon Kaiser, V-mon had no fighting skill, and Patamon was forced to spend most of the time dodging Kabuterimon's attacks whenever he got close to hitting. They needed to evolve, but how could they do it when the Kaiser was obviously blocking it somehow?

At that moment, the D-Terminal in Takeru's back pocket beeped. It was the sound that played whenever an email had arrived, but it sounded strange. There was a distortion to it, as though the sound card was undergoing some sort of error. The Chosen of Hope paused and blinked, uncertain if he had heard it correctly. For a moment, he debated whether or not he should check his D-Terminal, especially given that the situation at hand required his full attention. When he realized that it could have been an important message from his brother and the others in the real world, he quickly pulled his D-Terminal out.

To Takeru's surprise, instead of seeing a notification that he had an email and who the sender was, his new message was already open. The areas that should have listed the email addresses and title were blank, the corners of the message screen flickering slightly as though there was some sort of glitch. The font in the body of the email was of a strange jagged font, though the words were legible enough to read.

_Say "Digimental Up."_

Takeru read the message three times to make sure he understood the distorted letters correctly. "Digimental… Up?" The words felt strange to say, and he had no idea what to make of them. What was the email talking about? Even more, who was it from and what were they saying about the Digimental?

Tailmon's harsh words pierced the Chosen of Hope's concentration. "Takeru! Pay attention!"

"Look out!" Patamon shouted.

Takeru remembered where he was and looked up in time to see Kabuterimon forming another attack in his direction. He ran parallel to the giant Adult, just barely escaping the Mega Blaster. He kept moving to make sure that he would lessen the risk of becoming a target again, but his mind swiftly returned to the email. The message was strange to the point of being somewhat unnerving – he did not like the feeling he got from it. A mysterious email from an unknown sender was incredibly suspicious even without the creepy vibe, but under these circumstances, he did not see any alternatives. He could not simply let Kabuterimon remain the Digimon Kaiser's slave.

Takeru would not allow evil to prevail.

"The worst that could happen is that… nothing happens," Takeru muttered. Inwardly he had to retract the statement, as he really had no idea what would happen. He did not want to consider the worst-case scenario when Patamon had already died once before. However, Centarumon did bring them there specifically for the Digimentals and, eerie email or not, if these were instructions on how to use them, then he would trust not the mysterious message, but Centarumon. Holding the Digimental tightly in his fist, he raised it skyward and yelled, "_Digimental Up_!"

The Digimental shined brilliantly, growing so bright that it hurt for anyone to look at directly. It transformed into light that beamed directly into Takeru's Digivice. Sparks the color of gold overflowed from the Digivice before a golden shaft of light connected directly to Patamon. The orange Digimon was overcome with energy that filled him to the brim as it covered him like a second skin. "Patamon, Armor Evolve!" The light wove itself around his body, forming into the shape of angel wings that grew in size as he did. When the wings opened wide they belonged to a Digimon that was no longer Patamon, but a magnificent armored horse clad in gold. "Pegasmon!"

The transformation stunned Takeru, but only for a moment, as surprise quickly gave way to excitement. "Alright, Pegasmon! Let's do it!"

Hikari stared at Pegasmon, not believing her eyes. "That's…!"

Taichi slowed his running to gawk at Pegasmon. "A new evolution?"

Daisuke jumped, pumping his fists into the air. "Alright!"

Pegasmon swooped down towards Kabuterimon as he unleashed a beam of holy light from his forehead. "Silver Blaze!"

The attack hit its mark, striking the Evil Ring, which shattered to tiny pieces. The force of the blow hit Kabuterimon hard, knocking him to the ground where he slid back to the entrance of the shrine, destroying what remained of the wall surrounding it. He lay there, dazed, before de-evolving in to Tentomon.

Tentomon twitched faintly, but could not manage the strength to raise his head. "K-Koshiro…?"

Taichi was the first to reach Tentomon, wearing a smile from ear to ear. "Tentomon! You're back!"

Jijimon watched as most of the Chosen gathered around Tentomon then turned his gaze to the horizon, where the Digimon Kaiser was barely a speck in the distance. "Hmph, kids these days," he grumbled. "Wearing leotards and capes, what do they think they are? Whatchamacallitmons?"

Centarumon left his hiding place and hurried to join the group. "Chosen Children!" He turned towards Takeru. Though his expression was unreadable thanks to his mask, his voice betrayed his excitement. "You've figured out how to use the sacred treasures!"

Takeru glanced at Centarumon then looked up at Pegasmon. _More like someone told me how._ He decided there was little point in saying so. He could tell the others about the strange email later. Right now, he felt too thrilled by the fact that they freed Tentomon. "Now we can evolve, even in areas under his control!"

Pegasmon landed lightly in front of Takeru. "We just need to free Piyomon so she and Sora can use the Digimental of Love, and find the other Digimentals." His voice was more masculine than it was when he was Patamon, but not quite as much as when he was Angemon. It struck Takeru as somewhere in between.

Tailmon could barely look at Tentomon and the others, her gaze fixated on Palmon, who rested uncomfortably in Mimi's arms. Her ears and tail hung low as her heart felt heavy. She was still too weak, too useless to be of any help, and now Palmon was as injured as she was. "If only I…"

Hikari pulled Tailmon closer and gave her partner a tender smile. "It's okay, Tailmon," she said gently. "You'll recover soon." She moved to join Mimi and Palmon, crouching beside them so that she could get a better look at the plant Digimon's injuries. Palmon was barely holding onto consciousness, while Mimi was trembling with the effort not to fall to pieces. "Hang in there, Palmon. Jou will fix you up as soon as we get back to the real world."

Mimi nodded, her vision hazy through her tears. "That's right! You'll be as good as new in no time." Her voice wavered even as she tried her best to sound cheerful for her partner's sake. "So… so just… Just rest now, okay?"

"Mimi…" Palmon murmured. She tried to smile, but a twitch of pain from even that small movement made her groan and close her eyes tight. Instinctively she curled against Mimi, who gently stroked her petals and made soothing cooing noises.

Taichi's gaze lingered Palmon before he turned to Centarumon, a scowl on his face. "Do you know where the other Digimentals are? We're going to need them if we're going to save the rest of our friends and pay back the Digimon Kaiser for what he did."

"Our temples are scattered across this world," Centarumon said. "Each one contains sacred treasures just like these. However, which the specific temple houses which Digimental is beyond my knowledge."

"Of course," Taichi muttered. After the trouble they went through to find their crests years ago, he did not find it surprising that they would have to go on a quest to find all of the Digimentals the same way.

Takeru brushed back his bangs. "We'll have to visit them all anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Taichi nodded. "In the meantime, we should probably let Koshiro have a look at the ones we've got already."

Takeru turned to Centarumon. "Do you have the coordinates of the other temples?"

Jijimon let out a loud snort. "Bah, _coordinates_. In _my_ day, Chosen found temples by _walking_."

Centarumon inclined his head towards Jijimon. "That is not so easily done these days, Elder. The Digimon Kaiser's influence is extensive."

"Bah, and bah again!" Jijimon waved his staff around, at no one in particular. "Kaisers, Digimon, I don't care! It's always dangerous and kids these days always wanna do things easy! I walked up hill both ways in the snow to get to my temples!"

Centarumon exhaled deeply enough that it was almost a sigh. "We've never had snow in these areas, Elder."

Daisuke blinked at Jijimon. "In your day?"

Hikari's eyes widened slightly as she caught the implication. "You don't mean… You met Ryo and the others?"

Daisuke stared blankly at Hikari. "Who's Ryo?"

Jijimon sniffed with disdain. "Damn right I did. Spiky haired punk – needed a good haircut."

Hikari glanced at Daisuke. "He's another Chosen Child we met years ago, but we haven't seen him in a long time." She returned her attention to Jijimon, deciding to explain the story in more detail after they returned to the real world. "Does that mean that Ryo and his friends found their Digimentals back then?"

"'Course he did," Jijimon said. "Fat lot good it did 'em."

Hikari noticed how Jijimon's voice quieted slightly at the last part with some emotion she could not readily identify. "What do you mean?"

Jijimon did not respond immediately, and even though no one could see his eyes, they all felt that he was not looking at any of them but at something very far away. Every second that ticked by in silence added a strange weight in the air that settled over everyone. He tapped his walking staff on the ground for a few moments, as though trying to stave off the oppressive quiet, but it was a number of moments before he shook his head and brought his attention back to the Chosen. "Anyway, give 'em the coordinates already so they can get the hell out!" His voice was unnecessarily rough, but it held little weight to it.

Centarumon nodded before he turned to Takeru. "I will send the information to Koshiro."

Daisuke crossed his arms over his chest, brow furrowed. "We can't leave yet! There's still one thing I wanna know."

"Hm?" Takeru glanced over to Daisuke. "What?"

Daisuke looked sharply at Takeru and Pegasmon. "When are you going to try and knock down that Dark Tower already?" He made wild gestures before finally pointing at V-mon. "How am I supposed to see what kinda awesome Adult V-mon changes into with that Dark Tower stopping him, huh?"

Takeru blinked three times at Daisuke before an awkward note of laughter bubbled out from him. "Right! Of course!" He turned to his partner with a smile. "Pegasmon?"

"Right," Pegasmon said. Though his helmet obscured his face, there was no mistaking the amusement in his voice. A moment later, he was in the air, soaring in a wide circle around the shrine until he spotted the Dark Tower looming in a crevice a number of meters behind the temple, half-sunken into a crevice. The Chosen left the shrine so that they could watch him approach the evil monument. He spread his wings, which turned a dark shade of blue, covered with twinkling dots of light that gave them the illusion that they were made of segments of the night sky. "Shooting Star!" Stars flew off from his wings, striking the Dark Tower and shattering its foundation.

As the Dark Tower slowly teetered, the broken shards that touched the grass and ground at the bottom of the crevice surrounding it bled away all of the color, turning them to a dismal shade of gray. Blackened sparks danced across the pieces and charred the grass away just as the tower struck the ground. Darkness danced across the pieces of the tower with a strange hiss of static before disappearing completely. At once, the solid chunks of black that made up the tower glistened before it liquefied and flooded the crevice, creating a small pond of gray water with foaming waves that crashed along the rocky walls in all direction, painting the cliffs almost entirely in dingy shades of gray. Slowly, the ominous looking liquid evaporated before their eyes, black bits of data floating up into the sky in front of the Chosen before disappearing altogether.

Takeru watched the tower disintegrate with a grin on his face. The smile faltered when he noticed the strange reaction the area around the tower had when it fell, his eyebrows furrowing. "Hn."

Daisuke scratched his head. "What's that? Why did it become _water_? And why'd it turn everything gray?"

Mimi sighed as she looked sadly, as she focused her attention on some wildflowers that grew on a small ledge along the edge of the crevice. The flowers not only had lost all their color, but they too were slowly dissolving into data. "I hope this doesn't happen when we destroy all of the Dark Towers…"

Tailmon had left the safety of Hikari's arms when the Dark Tower began to fall so that she could get a better look over the edge of the crevice. She stared hard at the tower's remains as the water drained away from down below bit by bit. Slight movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention back to Hikari and she jerked when she realized that her Chosen Child was trembling. "Hikari?"

Hikari's eyes were distant, fixated on the dark water far down below. She had been unable to look away since she witnessed how liquefied Dark Tower crashed against the canyon walls like ocean waves crashing hard against the shore. At the sound of her partner's voice, she snapped back to the present and noticed how her body was shaking. She stilled herself and wore a smile for Tailmon, but the expression was weak and unconvincing. "I-it's nothing."

Tailmon's eyes narrowed as she stared at her partner, but she refrained from saying anything more.

"Well, it'll take care of itself," Jijimon said before pointing his staff at the Chosen. "So get outta here already!"

Daisuke dusted his hands together. "Okay! Now with that outta the way…" He turned to V-mon and clenched his fist as a wide grin appeared on his face. "I want to see you show your stuff, V-mon!"

V-mon nodded then clenched his fists in a clear mimicry of Daisuke. He strained hard, furrowing his eyebrows. A vein appeared as he pushed hard, trying to force out the evolution for his partner and the others to see. "Evolve… evolve! V-mon…!"

"V-mon… evolvvvveee… toooo…!" V-mon continued to strain as sweat trickled down his brow, the pressure building until suddenly… it expelled with a noxious sound of gas. V-mon's eyes bugged out as his face turned red, a small green cloud lifting up behind him.

Daisuke choked on the smell for a moment and pinched his nose as he waved the stench away. "V-mon!"

Takeru gawked at the sight, then covered his nose as he turned away, wisely trying to hide his laughter. "W-well then…"

"What the hell was that?" Jijimon asked as he stared hard at V-mon. "You challenging me, boy? Well, let me tell you, my body odors are second to _none_."

V-mon could not possibly look any more mortified, his ears drooping. "D-Daisuke…"

Daisuke laughed, feeling rather embarrassed for his partner's sake and knelt down to pat V-mon on the head. "Right, right. You're just not ready yet, V-mon. You'll evolve next time."

V-mon sniffled and drooped. "R-right! I'll try really hard!"

"Let's go," Tailmon said as she covered her nose.

"It takes practice, boy," Jijimon said, sagely. "Practice and a good diet. Like so!"

The old Digimon crouched as he lifted his staff over his head, straining. An aura of fire seemed to appear around him, as he focused his energy. "Nnnnnnghhhh…! _Hah_!" With a mighty war cry, Jijimon lifted his staff skyward just as a horrendous trumpet blared out, followed by an equally horrendous cloud of fumes.

It was the vilest mixture of smells in existence, a bastard child of skunk, rotten eggs, and spoiled cooking grease. The smell alone caused the ground around Jijimon to crack and splinter. The Chosen Children and Digimon choked on the horrific stench and were forced to cover their mouths and noses lest they be overwhelmed.

Tailmon covered her nose with both her paws, her eyes watering. "Go! _Now_!"

"I… I can taste it!" Takeru choked out as he fanned vigorously at his face. "It's… augh…!"

Hikari nodded as she fumbled to find where the pockets were on her new dress while using one hand to cover her mouth and nose.

Taichi turned a little green, the smell getting to him even as he tried to use his shirt as a filter. "I'm gonna throw up!"

"Hahaha!" Jijimon laughed proudly, hands on his hips. "Now _that's_ how you do it! Taking notes, boy?"

Over half the Chosen Children drew their Digivices at the same time, all crying out between coughs for the gate to open. Only Hikari and Takeru's Digivices reacted to the command.

"D-Daisuke…!" V-mon choked out before he de-evolved to Chibimon. "Bleeeugh…!"

"O-old Fart!" Daisuke said just before they disappeared in a flash of light.


	8. Chapter 7

Mimi was spending another night at Sora's house with Palmon. Her parents were unhappy about it, particularly when she told them the reason why, but they understood. There was no one else in the world that could treat any of their Digimon's injuries but Jou. Even the task of performing first aid was too much for her, as she barely kept her calm together long enough for them to return to the real world. Sora had to escort her outside of Taichi's bedroom during Palmon's treatment so Jou could focus on what he was doing without her crying to distract him.

Hours later, Mimi's eyes were tinged a darker shade of pink than the dye in her hair. Somehow she managed the strength she needed to force herself into something resembling a cheerful mood when around Palmon because her distress was upsetting to her partner. The last thing she wanted to do was make Palmon feel worse.

Mimi tried her best to distract herself with busywork – gathering pillows, blankets, or food for Palmon, who enjoyed the attention immensely despite the pain. The small plant Digimon was resting in relative comfort on a stack of mats and blankets, with pillows all around. A pile of empty dishes rested not far away from the futon, which Mimi slid aside after feeding her partner. After having such a large dinner, Palmon fell almost immediately to sleep, partially in thanks to the strong painkillers Jou prescribed for her.

While Mimi was happy that Palmon was not suffering at the moment, it left her with little more to do than to watch Palmon rest.

Sora's heart ached, both for Mimi and for Palmon. Truthfully, she had looked away when the Digimon Kaiser battered Palmon without mercy. She was unable watch the scene unfold on the laptop's screen, and she had to cover her ears to block out Palmon and Mimi's screams. Her helplessness and empathy overwhelmed her as she cried along with Mimi, and her eyes were still rather sore from the experience. Still, the Chosen of Love tried to put up a strong face for Mimi, who was suffering far more than she or any of the other Chosen Children.

"Mimi," Sora said softly, "she'll be fine. She's strong, and Jou did his best."

Mimi's fingers curled against the tops of her knees. She nodded slightly with a quiet sound of agreement, but her eyes never left Palmon. Bandages covered her partner nearly from head to toe, some faintly stained in red. She wondered if they needed to be changed, but Jou had told her that would not be necessary at least until tomorrow morning, unless Palmon moved around too much. Mimi ensured that her partner would not need to so much as lift a finger if she had anything to say about it. Jou promised that he would stop by before school to put on fresh gauze and check to see how Palmon's condition was progressing.

Sora felt her heart sink when Mimi did not speak. She did not know what she could do to help Mimi cheer up, not that she blamed the other girl for being so melancholy. It was hard to be cheerful after what Palmon had been through.

"Why?" Mimi whispered, her voice wavering with emotion. "Why would he… how could a _Chosen Child_ like us _do_ this?"

It was not the first time Mimi had asked that since they returned from the Digital World. They all wondered the exact same thing, but none of them could understand why the Digimon Kaiser was doing the things he did. Sora suspected that Mimi was not expecting to receive an answer, but was asking only because there was nothing else the Chosen of Purity could do except worry about Palmon's health.

"Only he can answer that," Sora said. "And I don't think any of us would ever accept his reasons."

Mimi's body faintly trembled as she let out a shuddering breath that ended in a hiccup. She had exhausted herself from crying so much that it seemed that she had no more tears left to shed, but the pain continued to constrict her chest.

The door to the guest room opened, the sliding door loud compared to the tense silence that had fallen between the two girls. Sora's mother, Toshiko, stepped into the room, her honey colored eyes gentle with sympathy as her gaze passed from her daughter to the pink haired girl kneeling on the floor. "Mimi? You have a visitor."

It took Mimi a moment to register Toshiko's words. She glanced over her shoulder at the older woman before she climbed to her feet, wobbling a bit due to the slight numbness that had settled into her legs from sitting on the floor for so long. "Who is it?"

"Your friend Yamato," Toshiko said before she stepped aside so that Mimi could leave the guest room. "He's waiting for you in the entryway."

Mimi tried to feel some enthusiasm at the news, but found herself unable to find the energy. "Thank you." She walked past Toshiko without looking back at either her or Sora as mother and daughter shared a concerned look.

When Mimi saw him, Yamato was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his head down. His entire posture was gloomy, and his jaw clenched tightly. When he saw the Chosen of Purity, he straightened up immediately. "Mimi…" His voice came out subdued, not much louder than a whisper.

Mimi brushed a strand of hair from her face and hoped that her eyes were not terribly puffy. She did not like the others seeing her in such a sad state. She tried to smile, but gave up after it felt too strained. "Good evening, Yamato."

Yamato opened his mouth for a second before hesitation seized him. He found himself unable to meet Mimi's gaze so he turned away, grimacing again as he clenched his fists. "I'm sorry."

The apology caught Mimi by surprise. "You're sorry? For what?"

"I shouldn't have suggested Palmon target the Kaiser," Yamato said, his voice rough. "It's my fault."

Mimi paused at that. After what happened to Palmon, all her worrying about her partner and questioning how someone like them could be so cruel, she had forgotten about the email Yamato sent her during the thick of battle when Palmon's attempts to trip up Kabuterimon had been thwarted. She shook her head, making a quiet noise at the back of her throat. "No, it's not. You didn't know the Digimon Kaiser would… that Palmon…"

"Still, I shouldn't have suggested it," Yamato said, still not looking at Mimi. "I put Palmon in danger."

Mimi frowned. Seeing Yamato torture himself with guilt was completely unacceptable and somehow it managed to pull her from her own melancholy and giving her a bit of strength, if only for a moment. "If it's your fault, then it's my fault too. I thought it was a good idea too. If I didn't I never would've told Palmon to do it." She hesitated as her own guilt came rushing back, contorting her expression unpleasantly. "_I'm_ the one who told her to do it. If I didn't then Palmon would've never…"

Yamato barely kept himself from punching the wall, all of his muscles tensing with a white-hot rage that screamed for release. It was not his house, so he had no right to put holes in it – even if visualizing the wall as the Digimon Kaiser's face and tearing it apart would have made him feel better. "I'll make him _pay_!"

Mimi noticed how Yamato seemed wound tightly enough that he could snap at any moment. She reached out and touched his arm, which flinched under her hand. Their eyes met for a long moment before she managed a small but sincere smile. "That's right. We'll stop him from hurting anyone else."

Yamato was silent for a long moment before he gave a slow nod. "We're going to end this."

Mimi nodded as well. "For Palmon's sake… and for Gabumon's too. We'll save him and the others… so no one has to get hurt like this again." Her gaze drifted back down the hall where she left Palmon sleeping.

"That's right," Yamato growled. His fists tightened, his fingers digging in to his palm. "Who knows what he's doing to the others…"

Mimi's hand slipped from Yamato's arm for a moment before she reaffirmed her grip, squeezing his wrist with more force than she intended. If she closed her eyes her mind would replay memories of the terrible things Digimon Kaiser made Palmon do in the coliseum and when the tyrant mercilessly pounded her partner against the stones right in front of her. She held no illusion that the other Chosen Digimon were suffering any less than the rest of the Digimon being held captive by the Digimon Kaiser. She felt compelled to say something to comfort Yamato, or at least herself, but words failed her. After everything that had happened, she wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and cry.

No, Mimi realized a moment later. What she wanted more than that was answers, for the Digimon Kaiser to return to his senses. "He's supposed to be a Chosen Child like us," she whispered. "How could he…?" She had not intended to speak and it took her a moment to realize she had said her thoughts aloud.

Yamato exhaled deeply, his body slumping slightly, though it did not take away his tension. His gaze dropped down to her hand before he turned away. "I'm sorry… I'm not making you feel any better." The tight trip on his wrist felt like a vice that matched the one twisting his insides. "But I promise you, I'll do everything I can to stop him."

Mimi nodded, still struggling for words of reassurance. She loosened her hold just enough that she could slide her hand down to Yamato's, holding it. "Thank you." She raised her head, her eyes meeting his. She tried to sound strong, but there was an underlining brittleness to her voice. "I'm going to try my best too. We have to…" Her voice went quiet. "I won't… won't let Palmon get hurt like that again."

Yamato finally looked back at Mimi and squeezed her hand. "We're going to do this. Everyone, we're all going to stop this madness."

Mimi managed another smile, but she could not maintain it long before it began to crumble. Moisture pooled in her eyes, blurring her vision. "Y-yes. We'll definitely… _definitely_…"

Yamato faltered for a response, for anything else he could say or do to help Mimi after he had messed up his attempts to make things up to her. Unfortunately, he was at a loss. There were no words that would undo what had happened, and without Gabumon there was no way for him to fight back against the Digimon Kaiser. Her name slipped from his lips just as he saw tears spill from her eyes.

Mimi abruptly let go of Yamato's hand to throw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest. Her body shook with sobs that were muffled by his body as she wept not just for Palmon, but for their countless friends in the Digital World who were suffering as well.

Yamato stared at Mimi, taken aback by her abrupt action. A moment later a grimace marred his features as his discomfort grew. He raised his hand to touch her, hesitating for a moment before he placed his hand on the back of her head. His eyes drifted closed as he slumped against the wall and silently allowed the Chosen of Purity to cry for them both.

* * *

><p>The clock on the wall said that it was well past midnight. Jou had been studying for over four hours, hunched over his desk. The door was locked, so he could read in peace as he stared down at the thick textbook before him. The air was thick with silence, with no noise to draw his attention but the quiet ticking of the clock in a steady rhythm every second and the quiet sounds of his breathing.<p>

In those four hours, Jou had only gone over a single page – the very first. Even then, he had not read it, merely allowed his gaze to drift across the neat rows of text. He could not tell anyone what was written on the page, or what he was supposed to learn from it. His eyes would travel over a line and fail to move onto the next one, or drift to some other part of the page, losing his place completely. In four hours, he had not learned a single thing.

All he could do was think about Gomamon.

Jou closed his itching eyes as he leaned back, taking off his glasses so he could use his free hand to rub at his eyes. He had thought that with Gomamon gone, he would be able to study like never before – it was supposed to be a small sliver of a silver lining in this nightmare of a typhoon that tore through his life. Gomamon would not be able to steal his books, hide his homework, or otherwise spend the entire time distracting him.

Jou remembered during one study session when he had spent half the day getting ready for a monster of an exam in the morning, until Gomamon started making a strange noise. The sound was just high enough in pitch that it registered _past_ his thoughts and drilled directly into his brain, making it completely impossible to ignore. Eventually, Jou's resolve crumbled and he caved in to Gomamon's demands. Instead of studying, he spent the rest of the day at the park with his classmates, who were also taking a break from their usual cram-sessions before the important tests.

And there were _always_ important tests.

Now, when he had no distractions, no Gomamon to force him to spend time with _people_ while he had work to do, Jou was not able to get a single bit of work done. No matter how much he tried, he could not do it.

Jou let out a strained curse before he leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. It was better than staring at that page again.

Even his classmates had noticed he was being distant, more so than usual. Truthfully, he was normally distant from them, as he did not have _time_ to socialize when he had to study. Nevertheless, Gomamon compelled him to socialize, forced him to spend time with them. Without Gomamon, Jou was retreating into himself again – even worse than before. He told his classmates that his distance was merely due to some personal issues he was dealing with, and they advised him to take it easy.

Just like Gomamon would have.

"Gomamon…" The name left Jou's lips in a voice that wavered somewhere between a whisper and a sob.

How could another Chosen Child do this? The Digimon Kaiser had to be a Chosen, as only Chosen Children could go to the Digital World. That meant the Kaiser had a partner too. Yet, despite this, the he still chose to inflict this kind of suffering on others. What kind of _human being_ would torment innocent Digimon, the very Digimon he was supposed to be protecting? It simply did not make sense!

"Perhaps I should have gotten into psychology instead," Jou muttered. He tried to chuckle at his feeble attempt at humor, but the sound came out weak and forced. What was worse was that he could easily imagine Gomamon laughing at his attempt at a joke before poking fun at him in jest, or retorting with a wry quip. His attempt at humor died with a sigh as his eyes drifted closed. "But even then, I don't think a textbook could give me the answer."

Jou and the rest of the Chosen Children needed to find their partners. They needed to save them from the Digimon Kaiser. They needed to save _all_ the Digimon. Perhaps it was just Jou being selfish to put Gomamon first over all the other Digimon suffering in the Digital World, but he knew that without Gomamon, he was helpless. With Gomamon by his side, Jou could stop worrying and do something other than pretending to study and applying even more stress to his life than he already had.

At least with Gomamon, Jou would not be so close to breaking.

* * *

><p>Taichi glared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, specifically at the hairs dangling limp and heavy down in front of his face and around his neck. He muttered a vow of revenge against the person who invented hair gel and Yamato for suggesting he try it out. He vigorously rubbed his head again with a towel to scrub out the gel to return his hair to normal quickly. When he removed the towel to examine the results of his efforts, he spotted Hikari's reflection in the mirror behind him.<p>

Hikari smiled, the corner of her mouth twitching, as though she had a hard time keeping the expression merely pleasant rather than amused. "It's already four forty-five. Weren't you supposed to meet Sora for your date at five?"

Taichi jerked, the towel falling to the floor as he whipped around to stare at Hikari directly before he turned his attention to the clock on the wall. To his alarm, the clock clearly informed him that he had less than fifteen minutes to get to a meeting place that was a twenty-minute walk away. "Aw _crap_!" He turned back to the mirror and swiped his fingers through his hair, brushing it out of his face haphazardly so that he could at least see, before he tore past his little sister towards the front door.

Hikari covered her mouth but failed to stifle her giggling. "Don't worry," she said a little _too_ sweetly, "Sora will understand that you were late because you wanted to look your best for her."

Tailmon stood beside Hikari, her arms crossed as a rather playful smile appeared on her face. Unlike her partner, she had no qualms with letting Taichi know that she was amused. "Enjoy your _date_."

Only when Taichi slowed down at the entryway to put on his shoes did Hikari and Tailmon's words filter through his panic. His cheeks turned rosy as he looked over his shoulder at his little sister and her partner. "It's not a date! Sora and me are just hanging out like usual. That's all!"

Tailmon tilted her head ever so slightly, her expression the very air of innocence. "Of course."

Hikari smiled brightly as she waved to Taichi. "Have fun."

Taichi gazed suspiciously at the pair a moment more, expecting another comment, but then he remembered how little time he had left. He hurried out to the hall of the apartment complex, pausing only long enough to let out one more protest before slamming the door behind him. "It's not a date!"

* * *

><p>"It's not a date," Sora muttered softly as she leaned against the side of a building, holding her purse with both hands in front of her. She looked down at the pink and white flats covering her feet as she fidgeted, feeling rather uncomfortable in her pretty white dress with light pink flowers forming a border along the bottom of the skirt and around her neck. She felt so exposed wearing a dress, and chided herself for even thinking of putting such a thing instead of a sensible pair of jeans or at least a comfortable pair of sneakers. After all, why get dressed up when she was <em>not<em> going on a date?

The sound of a much welcome voice snapped Sora out of her anxious thoughts. "Sora!" Taichi shouted while jogging down the street towards the redhead, waving at her.

Sora straightened up as she smiled, her spirits lifting, and she turned to face the Chosen of Courage. "Taichi!"

When Taichi finally reached Sora he doubled over, hands braced on his thighs as he gulped down air, face flushed from running at top speed from his apartment without so much as slowing down to take the elevator. "Sor… sorry I'm late. I got caught up." He glanced up at her with a sheepish smile only for the sight of her to take his breath away more powerfully than his run.

Sora's cheeks tinted as she noticed Taichi staring at her so intently. She looked away, gripping her purse tightly. Normally, she did not care to wear dresses, and felt so exposed and uncomfortable like this, especially when it got her peculiar looks. Her mother had been rather adamant about her wearing it, despite Sora's discomfort and insistence that it was _not_ a date. She just felt relieved that she managed to talk her mother out of putting make up on her. The long moment of silence was almost too much for her. "What?"

Taichi tried to respond with something clever or at least remotely intelligent, but all that came from his mouth were half formed words that had no hope of sounding remotely coherent. It was not simply the shock of Sora wearing a dress that threw him off balance, but how the outfit hugged her developing figure. The skirt was cut just above the knees, giving a delicious view of her smooth legs. The only sight more tantalizing was the barest hint of cleavage that the dress offered.

Sora felt increasingly awkward the longer Taichi refrained from responding as he gaped at her. After a few moments, she decided to change the subject quickly. "S-so, I… guess we should go?"

Taichi gave his head a firm shake when he realized that he had been so caught up in staring at Sora that he barely registered that she was talking to him. "Huh? Oh, er, you look nice, Sora." The compliment felt clumsy and almost painfully understated to what he really thought about how she looked.

Taichi was always aware that Sora was a girl ever since they first met, no matter how much of a tomboy she behaved. However, for some reason seeing her more feminine attributes emphasized by the outfit she picked for their get together made it impossible for him to ignore the fact that a cute girl was standing in front of him. It was not simply that she was wearing a dress, as he had seen her in their school uniform practically on a daily basis already. There was just something amazing about the way this particular dress hugged her curves that made him acutely aware of just _how_ female she was.

On the other hand, perhaps what _really_ threw Taichi off balance was the fact that Sora chose to wear such a cute dress for _his_ sake. The extra effort she took made him more aware that his hair probably looked even more awkward when compared to how nicely his date… his _friend_ looked.

Sora paused as her blush deepened, then shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. "T-thank you…"

Taichi brushed his hair back out of his face, trying to be discreet about neatening it up a little. "So, um, er…" He trailed off awkwardly, stammering for a few moments as he tried to think of something to say that was _not_ related to how cute Sora looked or how he should have worn something nicer than a t-shirt and jeans. "I guess I'm a bit underdressed, right?"

Taichi felt like kicking himself for blurting out something he _just told _himself not to say. He tried to make the statement more casual with a laugh, but it sounded painfully fake to his ears. "I mean you look so nice. Nicer than usual I mean. Er, no that you don't _usually_ look nice already, just you look _extra_ nice right now."

Taichi forced himself to shut his mouth when he realized he was rambling. He needed to think before he spoke so that he would not offend Sora like he did when he gave her the hair clip and said that she did not need to hide her face under her hat and hair. If this really was a date, he was supposed to be acting cool. Not that it was a date, he reminded himself quickly.

Sora shook her head. "N-no, no, you're fine. You… you look… handsome." She hesitated as the words registered and her blush darkened. "W-we're going to be late for the movie!"

Taichi felt heat flare up in his cheeks "R-really? You think so even with my hair, er…" He grimaced and brushed his hair back again. He was putting his foot in his mouth a lot this afternoon it seemed. "Oh, right. The movie."

"Even with your…?" Sora furrowed her eyebrows, confused by the question. She tilted her head as she looked at the Chosen of Courage's hair, and found herself at a loss. "What about it…?"

Taichi blinked and ran his fingers through his hair. It still felt as though there was some gel left, but perhaps it was just his imagination and it had dried out by the time he ran over? In any case, if Sora failed to notice anything amiss then it was in his best interest to avoid letting her find out. "Nothing, nothing. Never mind!" Before she could get a chance to press the issue, he grabbed her by the hand and led her swiftly towards the movie theater. "Come on! Let's get to the movie before we miss the previews."

Sora squeaked and then hurried to follow Taichi. She glanced down at their hands, feeling the warmth against her skin. Her face heated up again as her heart fluttered, but she quickly shoved the feelings aside. This was nothing. They had held hands before and there was nothing remotely romantic about the gesture. What they were doing right now was _not_ a date, no matter what her mother or anyone else said. She needed to not embarrass herself like this, and act like such a… _girl_. "R-right! Of course!"

* * *

><p>Despite a rocky start, the outing between the Chosen of Courage and Love had gone splendidly. The movie they saw was entertaining and gave them something to discuss over dinner at a rather nice restaurant that served tasty and affordable food. The earlier awkwardness between them had melted away as both forgot about debating if what they were doing could be called a date.<p>

Everything was going fabulously until Taichi destroyed the pleasant atmosphere with one thoughtless comment.

"Man," Taichi said, "Agumon is gonna be _so_ mad I went to see Blazes of Glory without him."

The conversation stopped dead. The weight of Taichi's words felt like a physical blow to both him and Sora, instantly bringing them back to the plight of their partners. The fork in his hand faintly trembled and the bit of cake he had been in the process of lifting dropped back onto the plate. His mouth opened in an attempt to somehow take back those words, but his voice would not work.

Sora felt her insides clench to the point of nausea. The sweetness of the sponge cake and whipped cream in her mouth lost all of its sweetness. A moment of oppressive silence hung between them before she forced herself to swallow hard and put on a weak smile appeared on her face. "I'm sure he'll forgive you."

Taichi tilted the corners of his mouth upwards in what appeared to be more of a grimace than a smile as he attempted to laugh off his comment, but the sound was weak, hollow. "Yeah…"

Sora picked at her food with her fork, unable to meet Taichi's gaze. She tried not to think about what was happening in the Digital World and at the same time felt enormous guilt for doing so. What Piyomon must have been going through at that very moment… Memories of the abuse Palmon endured were still fresh in her mind. She felt sick with the reminder of just how helpless they were to do anything, how acutely Mimi suffered for it. "Once Koshiro finds them, we'll definitely… we'll… we'll _definitely_…"

Taichi's hand came down harder on the surface of the table than he intended, but he barely noticed as he focused on sounding cheerful. "Of course! As soon as Koshiro finds them, we'll rescue Agumon, Piyomon, and everyone else in no time. We won't let that brat keep them for long!"

Sora barely moved her head to nod before raising her eyes to Taichi as she made her best attempt at a smile. "That's right… we just have to keep moving forward, and keep our spirits up. That's why we're here, right?"

Taichi nodded with excessive force as he curled his fingers into fists. "Right! We already rescued Patamon, Palmon, and Tentomon. And Tailmon managed to get away on her own, plus we found one of the other Chosen and his Digimon, so that just means we've got even more help to get our friends back."

"It's only a matter of time until we can rescue everyone," Sora said, her voice faint when compared to her normal tone. It was hard to be as energetic as Taichi somehow managed. Her eyes drifted back to her plate as she poked a strawberry around on a mound of whipped cream. "It's just… the waiting…"

Taichi made a quiet affirmative noise as his eyes fell to the table. He poked at the strawberry from his cake with his fork as he tried to figure out how to lighten the mood again. "Agumon and Piyomon wouldn't want us to be upset." He stuffed the strawberry into his mouth and continued to speak while chewing. "They'll probably be more upset if we were sad while we're stuck waiting for a chance to get them back."

Sora closed her eyes. She could almost swear she could hear Piyomon telling her to cheer up, smiling and hopping around her, pink wings a flutter and a smile on the Digimon's face. "Yes, we have to be strong…"

Taichi swallowed audibly. "So we should be thinking instead of what we're gonna do once we get them back and how we're going to pay the Digimon Kaiser back for all the trouble he's caused."

Sora frowned as she furrowed her eyebrows. "That's right. We'll make him understand that what he's doing is wrong!"

Taichi felt the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. It was his fault that their peaceful outing had suddenly transformed into a somber affair. He tried to think of a tactful way to change the conversation to something more cheerful, but he failed to come up with a solution. With a grunt of frustration, he slapped his silverware back onto the plate and rose to his feet. "Right, so for now let's just do something fun because that's what Agumon and Piyomon would want!"

Sora looked up at Taichi, staring at him. She hesitated before she stood up as well. "Alright. Like what?"

A brilliant idea came to Taichi. He turned towards the window and thrust his finger forward to some indistinct point in the distance as he attempted to strike a cool and commanding pose. "Let's go to the amusement park!"

Sora blinked three times at Taichi, wondering if he was serious. A quick glance at her watch reminded her of the late hour. "But most places are closed about now…"

Taichi teetered dangerously, nearly falling over as he remembered that the sun had set some time ago. He scratched his head for a moment as he looked through the large windows of the restaurant to the lamp lit streets outside. "Uh, well…" He scrunched his brow as he tried to think of a location that was both fun and not restricted by closing times. Finally, his eyes lit up. "I know! The beach! Let's go to the beach!"

"It'll be really late and cold by the time we get there," Sora said. She tried not to giggle at Taichi's exaggerated reaction.

Taichi straightened up blinked slowly at Sora as he scratched the back of his head. "Oh, yeah, right, it's still the beginning of spring isn't it?" He grunted and crossed his arms, scouring his imagination for any interesting ideas. "Let's see… if we… No, that's too far away…" He muttered to himself for a couple of minutes, his eyes firmly closed, as he rejected location after location. Finally, he opened one eye to look tentatively at the Chosen of Love. "I guess we could go to the park?"

Sora smiled brightly as she giggled. "Sure."

Taichi's cheeks turned pink as he rubbed the back of his head. Despite feeling embarrassed, his heart felt lighter, bringing a smile to his face in spite of himself. It gratified him to see that he was able to make Sora laugh again despite his clumsy words from earlier. Now, he just had to figure out what he did so that he could do it again in case he stuck his foot in his mouth a second time.

Sora was touched that Taichi was trying so hard for her sake. They were both suffering, worrying about their partners and helpless to do anything but wait. Seeing the other Chosen's courage in this difficult time renewed her own courage. Moving forward to take Taichi's hand, she smiled brightly. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>Takeru felt rather guilty. He was certain that when Yamato gave him a key to their father's apartment, his brother never meant for it to be used like this. The Chosen of Hope could imagine the look of outrage on Yamato's face, the protests and the lectures. Nevertheless, Takeru had come too far to back out of his plans now. He needed to steel himself and go forward, it was the only option.<p>

Clutching a bucket filled with cleaning supplies tucked under his arm, Takeru rang the doorbell to the apartment before ducking around the corner, watching to see if Yamato or their father, Hiroaki, had returned home unexpectedly. After a full minute of silence, he hurried to the apartment door and ducked inside. He let out a sigh of relief before he turned on the light. What he saw made him jerk, dropping the bucket so that it hit the floor with a _clang_, the contents spilling in all directions. The mess he made was barely noticeable compared to the one he had just walked into.

Takeru had heard a lot of things about the typical bachelor pad, how without women around to do any housework they would become filth-encrusted dumps, but he had believed them to be just stereotypes from television or movies. He was completely unprepared Yamato and Hiroaki's apartment to _prove them right_. Take-out boxes were crammed in every trashcan the apartment hand, with more trash balanced on top in teetering piles, surrounded by a halo of debris and miniature mountains of bags and empty cardboard boxes carrying even more take out remnants. The washing machine and dryer were wide open, stuffed full of clothing of dubious cleanliness, many articles of clothing hanging over the edges or piled around the laundry room. There were also many shirts, pants, and even underwear tossed haphazardly across the floor and even on the furniture. The kitchen was little more than a series of stacked dishes encrusted with dubious smelling things that had been food once upon a time. Ant traps and fly strips were placed intermittently in the kitchen, the only sign that the men who lived there had done anything about the potential hazards that came from such a sloppy lifestyle.

The entire apartment was truly a nightmare, a monument to slovenly living habits. Takeru imagined that his mother, Natsuko, would have fainted had she seen the mess before him. After awakening, she would then undoubtedly launch into a lecture to end all lectures that would leave their grandchildren chastised.

The saddest part was that Takeru had _suspected_ his father and brother had been living like this all along, though admittedly he did not imagine it to be quite _this_ bad. Whenever he came to visit Yamato and Hiroaki, the place had obviously been cleaned up in a hurry but still showed some signs of _unclean_. He sincerely appreciated the efforts they went through for his sake, but it always frustrated him that the two would refuse to let Takeru clean up _anything_ while they were around. He imagined it was because he did not live there that they insisted on treating him more like a _special guest_ than a member of the family. Obviously, they did not mean to make him feel at a distance, as they both had a habit of trying far too hard to be accommodating for him.

Things were different now. Before, the feeling that Takeru was little more than a visitor was unavoidable. When he lived so far away from his father and brother, visiting was very difficult and could only happen during the weekends due to school. Now, with his mother's job transfer, he was so close that he was within walking distance of his father's apartment. There was no excuse to keep that barrier between them, to keep thinking of him as just a guest spending the weekend at their house.

It ended now.

Hiroaki was at work, and Yamato was at band practice. Neither were home, so neither would be able to stop him from setting his plans in to motion.

Takeru reached in to the bucket and took out plastic gloves, pulling them on with a definitive snap.

"_Let's do this_!"

* * *

><p>Yamato sighed as he slouched forward through the apartment. His guitar case felt far heavier against his back than it had ever been. He knew why, naturally – Gabumon. Going to practice only served to remind him that a valuable part of his band was not there, and the other members of the band asking about his partner and expressing frustration at Gabumon's absence did not help. Everywhere the Chosen of Friendship went, he found something to remind him of his missing partner, or conjure up ghastly scenarios of what that Digimon Kaiser must have been doing to him at that very moment.<p>

The Yamato stopped short at a bend in the hallway, his fists clenching. He wanted to punch that awful kid, to slam his fists into that smug face until it broke like glass. Then he would punch the Digimon Kaiser even more, for what the tyrant had done – for what the Kaiser was _doing_ – not just to Gabumon, but also to Palmon, Tailmon, Patamon, Tentomon, and all of the other Digimon still in his possession.

Unfortunately, for now, all Yamato could do was wait and hope for even the slightest chance of rescuing his partner. They all had to wait until Koshiro found something with the programs made to scan for the signatures of their missing partners, or one of their allies in the Digital World sent them important information. He knew full well that was all they _could_ do at the moment, but it did not make the waiting any easier.

Yamato grit his teeth until his jaw began to hurt as he recalled the conversation he had with Koshiro when he asked how the scanning was going. "Damn Dark Towers." Koshiro had not outright stated it, but Yamato caught the suspicion that the Dark Towers were blocking the programs made to search the Digital World. A frighteningly large number of areas would only appear in the Digital Gate's viewer as static, completely impenetrable, but Koshiro promised he was working on a solution. Yamato knew the Chosen of Knowledge was uncertain if it was a promise that could be kept, given how little they knew of the Digimon Kaiser or what exactly the Dark Towers were made of that could allow the evil dictator so much control. "Once we destroy enough of them…"

Yamato stopped short with a startled jerk when he realized he had passed his apartment door. A flush of embarrassment flooded through him and he instinctively looked around as he backed up, only mildly relieved that no one had seen him. He paused to run his fingers through his hair before he unlocked the door, trying to set his thoughts on what restaurant to call up for tonight's dinner.

The door had barely opened a crack before Yamato froze, his thoughts halting as he realized something was off. The faint smell of alcohol, lemon, and industrial cleaner hit his nose instead of the familiar scents of home. In an instant he threw open the door and turned on the lights. His arms fell limply to his sides as he stared in complete bafflement at the apartment before him. Every surface had been scrubbed, from the floor to ceiling. The windows, furniture, and even the walls had been washed.

Yamato's feet moved almost of their own accord to get a better look around. The kitchen was completely empty of any fast food boxes or dishes, and the laundry room no longer had a single scrap of clothing in it. Magazines were put away neatly in bookshelves, clothes hung in the bedroom closets, beds neatly made.

If not for the furniture and pictures hanging on the walls, Yamato might have thought that he had stepped into the wrong apartment. In his daze, he went as far as to go back outside to check the number on the wall by the door and the nametag that confirmed that this was the Ishida home.

Someone had been in Yamato's home and decided, instead of robbing and messing up the place, that they would perform a free cleaning service instead.

"_What the hell!_?"

* * *

><p>Daisuke readjusted his hold on his duffle bag so that the strap would stop digging into his shoulder. Between Chibimon, his soccer uniform, and his school supplies, the bag was rather heavy. It made walking all the way from school to his apartment and back every day something of a trial. However, he found it was easier to imagine that he was weight training, like the protagonists in his favorite action anime. After a montage of implied months of lugging heavy weights all the time they became buff and powerful, able to take on any villain imaginable, no matter how tough they were.<p>

A smile played across his face as Daisuke realized that he was a hero just like them now, thanks to Chibimon. Now all he needed was a signature item like every other hero flaunted, such as a snazzy pair of goggles like the ones Taichi wore, or the pair Hikari had given him.

Daisuke ran a hand through his hair with a tinge of regret. Even though his precious goggles had mysteriously reappeared the last time he visited the Digital World, they disappeared the second everyone returned home, much like the cool flaming bomber jacket. Koshiro had guessed that those goggles were not the real ones that he threw at the Digimon Kaiser, which was very disappointing.

Leave it to Hikari to cheer Daisuke up, however. He still felt a thrill as he remembered the way she praised him for his noble sacrifice. She had even promised to give him a new pair of goggles for his next birthday, a set even better than the last one. He could hardly wait, especially since he had a lot more friends to celebrate with him this year.

Chibimon sat quietly in the duffle bag, trying not to move around to make things more difficult for Daisuke. It was hard to keep still, as he disliked leaving all of the hard work to his Chosen Child. He had suggested riding on Daisuke's shoulder or on his head, like Patamon, but the boy had been completely against it. Apparently, it was more important for Chibimon to hide than it was for Patamon, as unfair as that was. Still, the tiny baby dragon Digimon accepted it, even if he could not bring himself to like it.

Daisuke's enthusiasm waned, wariness creeping in to replace it once he got off the elevator. He walked slowly to quiet his footsteps as he approached the apartment door labeled with the Motomiya nametag. He let out a low shush sound, lest Chibimon consider making any sort of sound at this critical juncture, even though his partner had been very good at keeping quiet when inside the bag. When he tested the doorknob and found that it would not budge, tension grew throughout his body. A locked front door before nightfall was the unmistakable sign that Jun was home.

Daisuke moved carefully not to jingle his keys or make the knob rattle when he unlocked the door. He opened the door only a crack so that he could peer in and catch a glimpse of the living room, checking to make sure that Jun was not lounging on the sofa watching television. Next, he checked the entryway behind the door and spotted a dirty shirt – one of his from the laundry hamper no doubt – lying on the floor in an apparent haphazard manner. He knew better than to think it was an accident – he tripped over his own shirts that "mysteriously" appeared all over the house far too many times to believe that he was a forgetful slob. He picked up the shirt before his mother, Junko, noticed it and made a comment about how he needed to clean up after himself.

Daisuke snuck through his house like a burglar, his footsteps quiet after he removed his shoes at the door. He watched Junko's back while she worked in the kitchen, humming along to some awful music playing on the small television placed on the counter, as he crept down the hall. He paused in front of Jun's bedroom, labeled helpfully by a piece of paper that sorted her name in stylish handwriting above a warning that Daisuke had better keep out or else. After pressing his ear to the door, he heard his sister's voice – no doubt she was gabbing on the phone to some friend of hers. He exhaled, knowing he could relax for a moment, and walked back to the kitchen. "I'm home," he said to his mother, careful not to speak loudly enough that Jun might hear.

Junko was busy sashaying her hips from side to side, as she stirred a pot of stew on the stove, her focus more on the pop idol on television rather than Daisuke. "Welcome home. Dinner will be ready in an hour."

Daisuke exploited his mother's inattention by raiding the fridge, stuffing some covered leftovers into the duffle bag with Chibimon's help. "Right. Thanks. I'll be in my room."

Junko hummed what could have been a confirmation that she heard him, or she could have been just as easily slipping back into the rhythm of the music.

Daisuke hurried back down the hall, pausing only long enough to fish out his keys and unlock his bedroom door before he darted inside. The slam of the door behind his back before he locked it felt satisfying after all his sneaking around. There was no way Jun missed the sound, and now she knew that she lost the opportunity to torment him before dinnertime. Thinking about how annoyed she must have been brought him no small sense of victory. Naturally, he would be a captive audience in an hour no matter what he did, but at least this way he lessened the risk of getting in trouble and being barred from eating dinner at all.

"Coast is clear, Chibimon," Daisuke said as he unzipped the duffle bag.

Chibimon hopped out of the duffle bag and onto the bed, raising his little hands. "Yay, all clear!"

Daisuke sat down on the bed next to Chibimon, a smile on his face. He tapped his palm against one of the dragon's tiny hands in a high five. "We made it here unscathed. Time to celebrate." He pulled out the dishes from the bag and held them out to Chibimon. "Here you go, Partner!"

Chibimon waved his little paws excitedly as he rushed over to the dishes before taking them. "Yay~! Thank you~!"

Daisuke grinned as he watched Chibimon devour the cold food with gusto. "Sorry I couldn't warm it up for you, but mom would've caught us."

"Warm or cold, food is good~!" Chibimon said, then smiled brightly at his partner. "Thank you, Daisuke~!"

Daisuke laughed lightly as he stroked Chibimon's head, feeling the tension from earlier slowly slip away. "Hey, it's no problem. We're partners, right? You protect me in the Digital World and I'll protect you here. That's how it works, right?"

"That's right~!" Chibimon said, before he paused. He frowned, his ears drooping slightly. "Though, I want to protect Daisuke _all the time_."

Daisuke gave Chibimon a lopsided smile. "Don't worry about it." His smile widened before he let out a short laugh. "I've gotta protect you sometimes or it isn't fair on you, you know?"

"If you say so, Daisuke," Chibimon said, though he continued to frown.

A knock on the door had Daisuke on his feet in an instant, body tense. He looked to Chibimon and held his finger up in front of his mouth before turning back to the door. "What is it?"

An overly sweet female voice drifted through the door. "Daisuke, your friend Hikari is on the phone."

Daisuke felt his heartbeat quicken at the idea. He nearly reached for the lock on impulse when common sense caught up to him and he glared at the door. "I know you're lying, Jun. Go away." Hikari knew better than to call his house unless it was an emergency. Though a part of him worried that might be the case, he never trusted anything his sister said on principle.

Jun sounded affronted. "Fine. I'll just tell Hikari that you refuse to talk to her. I'm sure that won't break her poor heart _too_ badly."

Daisuke felt doubt twist his insides, but he forced himself to remain resolute. "Tell Hikari-chan I'll talk to her tomorrow at school."

"Okay, but you'll be sorry~!" Jun said in a singsong tone.

Daisuke listened for the sound of Jun's footsteps to retreat before he plopped back down onto the bed with a grunt. "You know, before I talked Dad into putting that the lock on my door, she would've just burst in here whenever she wanted," he muttered, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. He paused as he imagined what Taichi would say about him saying such things about his sister and drooped. _I've gotta learn to keep my big mouth shut._

Chibimon's expression turned surprisingly dark. "If she burst in here, I'd _bite_ her," he muttered, his voice a near growl.

Daisuke was taken aback by his cute little partner sounding so serious, almost vicious. He was not sure what to think so he tried to laugh it off. "Don't worry about it. Besides, if you bite her Jun will probably freak out and make mom and dad make me get rid of you and make my life miserable in the process." The idea made him feel sick inside. "So no matter what you've gotta make sure none of them see you, okay?"

Chibimon's scowl deepened. He did not like it at all, but he trusted Daisuke to know what was best for both of them. "Okay, Daisuke…"

Daisuke reached out to lightly scratch behind Chibimon's ear. "Hey, hey, it's not so bad. We get to bunk together like this and Jun has no idea." He chuckled. "Man, she'd be so jealous if she knew we were a couple of heroes out to save another world."

Chibimon's sulk gave way to a pleasured purr as he enjoyed the attention, tilting his head into Daisuke's hand. "She can be jealous all she wants, because she _should_ be jealous of Daisuke~!"

Another knock interrupted the pleasant moment, followed by Jun's voice. "Daisuke? Your friend sounded pretty upset that you don't want to talk to her. Apparently she needed to talk to you _really_ badly."

Daisuke's fingers stilled for a moment before he made himself continue despite how part of him could not stop worrying about Hikari. He refused to so much as look towards the door. "I'll talk to her tomorrow."

Jun let out a sigh that could be heard clearly through the door. "I told her that, but she was still upset." She sighed again, even louder and more distressed sounding than before. "In fact she was so upset she was _crying_. It was hard to hear what she said after a while. I think she might've been saying something along the lines of if you don't want to talk to her now then never talk to her again? Something like that. It was just so hard to tell with how hard she was sobbing."

Daisuke felt his muscles tense up. The very thought was enough to twist his insides, even if he refused to believe that what his sister told him was true. "Whatever."

"She's _lying_," Chibimon whispered harshly, as though echoing Daisuke's thoughts. "She's a liar-liar, and using Hikari too! Hikari would never talk to her!"

Daisuke glanced at Chibimon, before nodding his head ever so slightly. "Yeah, she does that," he muttered under his breath, his voice rough. "That's why Hikari never calls and I can't ever call her."

Chibimon nodded, his expression grim. "Hikari _definitely_ isn't on the phone, so don't answer!"

"Well!" Jun said, her voice sharp. "I'll just have to tell Hikari that you don't want to talk with her. Although… I really shouldn't break the bad news to her over the phone. I should probably go over and tell her _in person_."

Daisuke was on his feet in an instant. "Don't you dare!"

Chibimon moved to grab Daisuke's leg. "Daisuke, no! She's lying, Hikari would never believe her!"

Jun's voice was far too sweet to be sincere. "Dare what?" She giggled softly, the door nearly blocking the sound out entirely. "I'm only worried about this poor girl after you've made her feel simply _awful_. _Abandoned_, really."

Daisuke trembled with rage, too angry to see straight. His jaw clenched to the point of being painful, and he only managed to bite back his retort thanks to the weight of Chibimon on his leg. He glanced down at his partner before he forced himself to sit back down. It took him a little while longer to manage to speak again, the words grinding out through his teeth. "Go _away_, Jun."

Chibimon glared at the door, as if he were able to see through it straight into Jun's awful face. His tail lashed angrily behind him, his floppy ears canted back. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to make the obnoxious girl leave Daisuke alone by whatever means necessary, but knew he could not.

Jun let out an exaggerated hum. "Her last name is Yagami, right?" She let out a theatrical gasp. "I think I know someone who goes to class with someone related to her! I think I'll call and ask where she lives."

Daisuke dug his fingers into his knees to keep himself from bursting through the door and doing… something. He had no idea what – grab Jun, yell in her face, threaten her, or something else along those lines. He hated when his sister riled him up like this, especially when he knew that it never led to anything that ended well for him. "Stay out of my business, Jun!"

Chibimon tugged on Daisuke's leg, attempting to keep Daisuke's attention on him and not Jun. "Let her, Daisuke! Tailmon'll pop her right in the face!"

The image of Tailmon punching Jun made Daisuke laugh in spite of himself. It was still hard to see Tailmon as anything other than Hikari's pet cat, even after seeing her knock down cell doors with a single blow, so somehow it made the idea as absurd as it was entertaining to consider.

Jun's sharp voice wiped away all trace of mirth from Daisuke. "Is there someone in there with you?"

Chibimon paused at that, his grip tightening on Daisuke's pants. He fought the strong urge to yell 'yes' and instead kept his mouth shut. He refused to disobey his partner, no matter how angry he got.

Daisuke felt his heart tighten sharply before it beat faster, the sound echoing in his ears. His voice cracked as he replied, despite his attempts to sound casual and innocent. "What? No! What gave you that idea?"

"I just heard someone's voice in there," Jun said. "And don't even try and lie that it was your Game Boy or you talking to yourself. I'm getting mom and telling her you have that girl in your room."

Daisuke panicked, instantly on his feet. He looked at Chibimon, his eyes wide and wild, before he scooped up his partner and dashed for his closet. He was thankful that he kept his room clean – as per his agreement with his parents to allow him to keep his door locked all the time – so he managed to find an empty space behind the top shelf of his closet for Chibimon to hide. He shushed his partner before closing the closet door.

Chibimon glared at the closed door, his tail lashing again. That girl was always so mean to Daisuke, and she had no reason to be. He was the best person in the world!

Less than a minute later, a loud knock on the door made Daisuke jump. "Daisuke?" Junko said, her voice cross. "Open up right this minute."

Daisuke grumbled as he unlocked his door and opened it to allow Junko access to his room. He knew that he would never be able to talk his mom out of a surprise inspection once it got into her head that he was doing something wrong.

Daisuke's mother was a slight woman, but her age meant that she still stood an entire head taller than him, and the suspicious look she gave him with her dark brown eyes made her appear larger still. Peeking around her shoulder, only a few scant centimeters shorter, was Jun. His sister's eyes were identical to their mother's, except they carried a wicked gleam that made the sweet smile she flashed him cause jolts of white hot rage to shoot through his body. Aside from their expressions, the two women had nearly identical faces, save for the slight signs of Junko's more advanced age, such as laugh lines around her eyes, which looked more severe thanks to the weight of her scrutinizing gaze upon him. Their hair and taste of clothes were different as well, with his mother wearing a conservative cream colored dress that went well with hear neatly bobbed fair brown hair. Jun, in contrast, wore a pair of torn blue jeans and a t-shirt sporting the image of her current favorite idol band, her normally chestnut colored hair dyed to a more rosy shade and teased until it put Taichi's wild mane to shame.

The way Jun winked at Daisuke as she practically skipped into the room made him unable to resist the urge to glare at her. The muscles on his face twitched with the effort not to curl up his lips and bare his clenched teeth, so Junko would not suspect his anger was directed at her and upset her. "There's no one here but me. Hikari-chan doesn't come over anymore, remember?"

Chibimon heard the sound of Daisuke's mother and sister's footsteps as they entered the room and tensed. He had to quietly reassure himself that since they would find no one, Daisuke was certain not to get in trouble.

Of course, the fact that Jun even pulled such a stunt meant that Chibimon would have to pay her back for it. At that thought, the tiny Digimon paused. If Jun was in Daisuke's room, then that meant she was no longer in _her_ room. His eyes narrowed to slits as he considered the possibilities.

As Chibimon heard Junko rifle around the room, the tiny Digimon quickly moved towards the small vent in the closet ceiling. He easily nudged it open without a sound, having removed the screws days ago, so that he could slip inside without being detected and replace the vent cover to hide any trace of his presence.

Junko frowned as she looked around the room. The place was small and tidy, so there was not much in the way of hiding places. She lifted the covers on his made bed then peeked underneath, pushing aside neatly packed boxes to verify that someone was not hiding behind them. She remade the bed before turning her attention to the closet, missing the way Daisuke flinched when she opened the door due to having her back turned towards him. Satisfied that no girls were hiding among the shirts and shelves, she ran her finger along the top shelf, which made her son's heart race with fear. "You need to dust more, Daisuke."

Chibimon looked down at Junko through the slits in the cover, hidden in the darkness of the vent. If it had been Jun standing so close to him, he doubted he could have stopped himself from spitting on her. However, since it was Daisuke's mother, he resisted the urge. From what he had seen so far, Junko was a rather nice woman, if a bit scatterbrained and easily manipulated. Besides, he had far more important things to do. With quiet steps, the small dragon Digimon scurried through the ventilation system to the room across the hall – Jun's bedroom.

It had only been a few days since Chibimon entered Daisuke's life, but he already knew the layout of the entire house, both from inside the vents and out. He had to avoid being spotted by the other Motomiyas, and the air vents allowed him to do just that while still permitting him the freedom to move about as he pleased. Naturally, the first place he discovered was Jun's bedroom, and with it, untold possibilities.

Opening the air vent, Chibimon slipped into the elder child's room undetected. It was time to extract retribution on Jun while she was occupied in harassing Daisuke. The small Digimon glanced around before noticing with extreme displeasure that his previous prank – using her lipstick to doodle graffiti on her hand mirror so that her reflection would have fangs and horns – had gone unnoticed. Certainly, if she had seen herself so defaced, she would have shattered the mirror, screamed, or at least cleaned it up. The fact that the mirror had been untouched irritated him. He had been so proud of his brilliant prank, as it took so long to think of, but she had not reacted to it at all!

Chibimon puffed up his cheeks and made a muffled sound at the back of his throat. The problem was that his prank had been too subtle, he was certain of it. That meant he needed to think of something far _bigger,_ a prank that Jun could not help but pay attention to – something that would drive her absolutely _crazy_. "What do I _do_?"

Chibimon looked around the room while chewing on his lower lip. His next target had to be something that Jun could never ignore. Posters of idol bands, movie stars, and the like that covered the walls served as a tempting target for him to deface, but he feared such graffiti would be ignored as well. He had barely finished that thought when he spotted lipstick stains smeared across the faces of a number of the pretty boys' pictures, most in the shape of lip prints. His ears twitched back as he scowled. If Jun liked defacing things with lipstick, then it was no wonder that his brilliant mirror trick failed!

Chibimon paused and glanced over towards the dresser, where he imagined Jun kept her clothes. Not all Digimon wore clothes, but he at least understood what the articles of fabric were for, thanks to Daisuke. Humans like Jun needed clothes – fresh ones every day. There was no way she could miss a prank that was done to her clothing! The blue dragon baby waddled over to the dresser and scaled it to the top. He reached down and pushed the top drawer open, revealing it to be the teenage girl's underwear drawer, which contained exotic garments of all shapes, sizes, and colors inside.

Chibimon hummed thoughtfully and looked down at the underwear. He picked up one of the frillier articles of clothing and briefly wondered what its purpose was, as he had never seen Jun wear it and nothing in Daisuke's room looked remotely similar. He puzzled over the two squishy pads shaped like cups before deciding the mystery was not worth solving when there were more important things to focus on while he had this golden opportunity. Still, could not help but notice that the soft pads were rather fun to poke.

Idly squishing the gushy padding to help him think, Chibimon returned his attention to the rest of the room. He could always dump the drawers and throw the clothes around, like Jun did to Daisuke's. He considered flushing them down the toilet, but he doubted they would fit. He could at least get them wet, but it would take too long to cart all the clothes to the bathroom and then back. If he threw them in the hallway, then Junko might blame Daisuke, as Jun was very good at getting Daisuke in trouble whenever clothes were found on the floor. What Chibimon needed to do was to get rid of them in such a way that _no one_ could pin it on his Chosen Child.

A glimpse of something fluttering in the corner of his vision made Chibimon turn towards it, identifying it as a thin white curtain. Jun's window was much larger than Daisuke's, more like a doorway made of glass, which was partially open to give a clear view of a patio outside. His eyes narrowed, as he was sure that Jun having a nicer window than Daisuke was due to her selfishness. Her room seemed larger than his Chosen Child's as well. The nerve!

A wicked thought erased Chibimon's dark thoughts and brought a wicked smile to his face. No one could accuse Daisuke of throwing Jun's underwear all over her balcony, as he would have to enter her room just to do the prank and right now Daisuke was with Jun and Junko. No matter what Jun said, there was no way she could pin the blame on Daisuke, Chibimon was certain of that.

Still, simply throwing the underwear outside did not feel adequate to Chibimon. He wanted to do something to them first, so that Jun could not just bring them back inside as though nothing happened. "If I shred them, she might not recognize them."

It was a shame, Chibimon noted as he poked the padding of the bra again, as he was curious about what made it so squishy – was there gelatin inside, or pudding? Was it a secret hidden pocket meant to store away snacks? However, even as he thought about it, it seemed like such an odd place to store food. That only begged the question of what Jun could possibly use for such a weird article of clothing. Ultimately, it did not matter. He did not care why Jun did anything, so long as the spoiled girl left Daisuke alone!

Chibimon shook his head and returned his focus to what was most important – the prank. "I need to do something that's messy but won't make her not know they're _hers_… What should I–?"

Chibimon instantly went still, as a delightfully _awful_ thought appeared in his mind. It was a dreadful, terrible thing for him to even _consider_ doing to someone. A vicious grin appeared on his face as a wicked glint appeared in his eyes. It was _perfect_.

* * *

><p>Daisuke nearly slumped with relief when his mother's quick inspection of his bedroom yielded no sign of Chibimon, or any imaginary girls he stashed somewhere. He quickly straightened up before either Junko or Jun noticed his expression then frowned when he spotted his sister rooting through his duffle bag. "Hey! Get outta there!"<p>

Jun let out a loud gasp as she held up a piece of paper. "Why, Daisuke! You got a _33_ on your _test_?"

Daisuke snatched the paper from Jun's hand, only for it to rip in half due to her solid grip on it. He grunted and tried to get the half she clung to, only for it to tear further. "It's an _88_! And you just wrecked it! Get out of my stuff!"

Junko sighed as she looked towards her son. "Daisuke, I know you have trouble in school, but you don't have to hide your poor grades from us." She gave Daisuke a hug. "You know we love you no matter how hard it is for you to learn."

Daisuke turned red in the face. "It's an 88! I swear!" He held up the test paper, but the grade written in red marker had been rendered illegible when it was torn.

Jun let out an excessively loud sigh. "Oh Daisuke, Daisuke, _Daisuke_. You shouldn't be so _ashamed_ around us. We're your family! We of _all_ people know that you're not smart enough to do well in school, so we _know_ to expect your grades will always be simply _awful_. But don't worry, we'll still love you even if you _are_ a delinquent and are going to drop out before you get to high school. That doesn't mean your future is _ruined_. You can always get a job pushing a ramen cart around."

Daisuke shot Jun a poisonous glare. "Shut up! You're the reason why everyone thinks I'm a delinquent in the first place!"

"Daisuke!" Junko said with a frown. "Don't you yell at your sister, and don't make that face either. You shouldn't blame her for your problems."

Daisuke thrust an accusing finger in Jun's direction. "She started it! She was looking through my stuff!"

"Only because you hide your grades from us, Brother Dear," Jun said in a syrupy tone. "You know, if you didn't get _banned_ from that cram school, I'm sure you would've gotten them up at least a _teensy_ bit."

"That was your fault too!" Daisuke shouted.

"Enough!" Junko said, raising her voice as she held up her hands. "There will be no fighting in this house! Is that clear?"

"Of course, Mommy," Jun said as she batted her eyelashes repeatedly, her expression the very air of innocence. "But, you know, _I'm_ not the one yelling and accusing _me_ of doing bad things."

"You're in my room without my permission," Daisuke said, forcing himself to keep the volume down. "Get out!"

Junko tilted her head slightly and lightly tapped her lower lip as her eyes drifted towards the ceiling. "Oh, yes, that's true isn't it? Jun, you shouldn't be invading your brother's privacy like this."

Jun's expression displayed her irritation for a fraction of a second before her smile returned in all its splendor. "Oh, I'm not _invading_ anyone, Mother. I just wanted to help you look around and make sure Daisuke wasn't sneaking girls into his room. _Again_. You remember what happened last ti–"

Daisuke had enough of Jun and cut her off with a harsh shove to her back as he forced her to walk towards the door. "_Out!_"

Jun yelped, stumbling over her feet as she tried to fight against Daisuke's strength, but despite their size and age difference, her younger brother was a lot more physically active than she was. "Hey! _Hey!_ Quit it!"

Junko blinked as she watched her children struggle. It was only when they were in the hallway and Jun started slapping Daisuke that she realized that she was needed to mediate. "Daisuke, there's no need to shove your sister. You only needed to ask her politely to leave. Jun, there's no need to slap your brother. Just ask him nicely not to play so rough with you." She cocked her head slightly when her children did not seem eager to comply. "Anyway, you two should help me set the table. Dinner will be ready soon."

Daisuke released Jun and hurried back to his door so he could lock it behind them. He noticed his sister's annoyed expression and flashed her a smug grin when Junko was looking the other way.

Jun opened her mouth to deliver a biting retort when the front door opened to reveal a haggard middle-aged man with eyes so dark they were practically black. He had short but rumpled dark brown hair and wore a gray business suit with a teal tie loosened away from his upturned collar. He set the briefcase down by the door before he slipped out of his shoes with a groan. "I'm home," Daichi said, his voice heavy with weariness.

Junko beamed at her husband. "Welcome home, Darling," she said sweetly as she walked over to his side to give Daichi a peck on the cheek. "We were just about to set the table for dinner."

Daichi perked up at the mention of food and he gave his wife a smile. "Ah, good, that's–" He was unable to finish when he spotted his children. A grimace marred his features as he looked between them. He opened his mouth only to think better of it and close it again. He tried again to speak, but the words came out half-formed. Finally, he forced a cough into his hand before he focused his attention on his son. "Ah, Daisuke. Would you go help your mother with dinner for a moment?"

Daisuke blinked then shrugged. "Yeah, sure." He followed Junko into the kitchen, preferring to help with dinner rather than bicker with Jun over the right way to set the dining room table.

Daichi waited until Junko and Daisuke were out of sight before he turned his attention to Jun, though he could not manage to look into her eyes. "Jun, I…" His words fumbled, becoming an ill-formed mess. He frowned and coughed harshly before trying again.

Jun tilted her head slightly as she batted her eyes, which she opened wide, giving her an especially innocent expression. "What is it, Daddy? Is something wrong?" She glanced towards the wall that blocked the kitchen from view. "Did _Daisuke_ do something _bad_ again, like spread _lies_ about me?"

Daisuke twitched and glared at the kitchen wall. Thanks to the compact space of the apartment, he could still hear his father and sister's private conversation perfectly well – a fact that Jun often liked to exploit. He bit back the urge to growl and helped his mother cook the noodles.

Daichi waved a hand in front of him, as though to dismiss the suggestion. "No, no, it's not about Daisuke this time." He paused and covered his mouth as he looked away, finding it hard to look at his daughter. "Is there something you wanted to tell m–" He practically bit his tongue as he cringed. "…Your mother?"

Jun clasped her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on her heels, much like she did when she was a young child. "Like what, Daddy?"

"Erm, well," Daichi said, but the rest of what he wanted to say fragmented into nonsensical syllables. He cleared his throat and rubbed his neck. "Jun, I understand that you might be, ah, _embarrassed_ about the situation, but you shouldn't try to hide things. You especially shouldn't try to do your laundry from your balcony; if you don't secure it, it'll fly wherever the wind might take it. You should also try to _wash_ it before you hang it out to dry. Perhaps you should ask your mother so you can learn how to do your laundry the right way without another, ah, _accident_ like this."

Jun went very still. "What?"

Daichi's face turned rather pink as he turned his gaze towards the door "Your… _soiled_ underwear." He made a vague gesture. "It's spilling over from your balcony and covering the street outside. There's a bit of a crowd starting to gather so you might want to take care of that right away."

Jun did not move for a long moment before abruptly tearing past her father at top speed. The front door slammed against the wall with a loud bang that made the other Motomiyas flinch, but the sound did not compare to the unearthly shriek she made once she was outside. "Daisuke! I'm going to _kill_ you!"

Daisuke jumped when he heard the death threat before he peered around the dividing wall towards the open door. He noticed both Daichi and Junko staring at him expectantly, and he gave a helpless shrug. "Don't look at me. It's not _my_ underwear."

The sounds of outrage Jun made were like music to Chibimon's ears. He sat comfortably reclined on Daisuke's bed as he listened delightedly to the results of his handiwork. He snickered through his teeth as he grinned from ear to ear, his tail wagging happily. "Don't – mess – with – _Daisuke_."


	9. Chapter 8

Tailmon smiled as she stood atop Hikari's desk and looked herself over in the mirror hanging on the wall in front of her. The bandages were gone, along with the bruises and cuts that had covered her body. She used her claws to toy with her fur, pleased to see that it had grown back as well. She practically purred as she spent a number of minutes preening in front of her reflection. She placed her paws on her hips and nodded in satisfaction. She was back in fighting form. "Hmhmhm~!"

Hikari tried to keep quiet as she watched Tailmon from her chair, but when her partner practically posed like a model from a fighting magazine, she was unable to stop herself from giggling. Seeing Tailmon jerk slightly at the sound, a faint shade of pink appearing on the feline Digimon's face before their eyes met in the mirror, only increased her mirth. "You don't normally look in the mirror this long, Tailmon."

Tailmon nodded sharply as her faint embarrassment faded before she returned her attention to her own reflection. She glared into the narrowed blue eyes that gazed back at her with intense venom. Even though her strength had returned, she could not forget about what happened. She could _never_ forget how it felt to be so weak, so powerless, and so _useless_. It was something she had not felt in a long time – not since those dark years she spent trapped under Vamdemon's heel.

When the Evil Ring touched Tailmon, it shattered on impact, coating her with a dark liquid. She had seen what the Evil Rings had done to her friends and had been just as shocked as the Digimon Kaiser when it self-destructed. She might have felt smug at seeing such an expression on him if the strange gray liquid had not sucked away her energy and sent her to her knees. She grew sick to the point of rendering her helpless, and was unable to defend herself when the Kaiser took his frustration at being unable to control her out on her weakened body using that _whip_ of his.

Tailmon was aware of the tempers of tyrants. She knew that by remaining defiant, glaring at the Digimon Kaiser the entire time, that she would only be inviting more pain. However, her pride refused to allow herself to back down. If Vamdemon could not fully break her, then no spoiled brat would be able to. Compared to Vamdemon, the Kaiser's whipping was little more than love taps.

Her resistance shook the boy up. Tailmon saw it in his eyes past the tinted lenses of his glasses, heard it when his voice cracked as his lashes grew weaker. She felt a vicious sense of victory when he turned away, fists trembling.

However, that was when something broke within the _Digimon Kaiser_. He lost his composure and shrieked as he ordered her comrades, her _friends_ to hurt her. She had fought the other seven once before and won, but at that time she had been in top form and she had no reason to care if she did any lasting damage to them. The other Digimon were stronger now than they were then and the liquid had weakened her. However, it was her sentiment held back the strength of her attacks more surely than the sickness, while they were hindered by neither.

If Hikari had not been able to rescue her…

Tailmon clenched her fists before she threw punches in the direction of the mirror at blurring speeds. She never connected with the mirror, but the air pressure alone made it wobble slightly against the wall. Her lips curled back somewhere between a smile and a sneer. She was going to show that brat just how powerful she really was now that she was back to full strength.

"Let's see him try and control me now," Tailmon said, her voice so rough it was practically a growl. She had not told Hikari how bad it had been, how close she had been to deletion, or how angry it made her feel, but she suspected her partner already figured it out.

Hikari smiled despite her partner's fierce expression. She was just happy that Tailmon had recovered completely.

Taichi poked his head into the room. "Wait, did the Digimon Kaiser try one of those Evil Rings on you too, Tailmon?"

Tailmon did not look away from her reflection as she answered with a curt nod.

Taichi raked his fingers through his hair. "But how did you escape without getting controlled like the others?"

Tailmon paused and looked over towards Taichi. "He tried, but failed. The Evil Ring shattered the second it touched me."

Taichi jerked and outright gawked at Tailmon. "It what?"

Hikari recalled how she had a similar reaction when Tailmon had informed her of that fact. "We don't know how it happened either." She exhaled deeply. "But the Digimon Kaiser can't control Tailmon for some reason. That's why he… hurt her."

Tailmon snapped her tail, which sent her Holy Ring into a spin. "It shattered, then turned into liquid," she said, her voice hard. "Just like what happened to the flowers when the Dark Tower collapsed."

A shudder ran up Hikari's spine at the memory. The faint movement caught Tailmon's eye, but the Digimon said nothing.

Taichi scratched his head beneath his goggles. "So, wait, that means it's made up of whatever it is the Dark Towers are made of, doesn't it?"

Tailmon turned to face Hikari. "Yes, it does," she said, her eyes never leaving her partner even as she addressed Taichi. "More of it, but the same substance. They're all made of something that kills everything around it."

Hikari felt as though something cold and clammy crept across her arms when she thought of the destruction of the Dark Tower. It was like something out of a nightmare. She rubbed away the goose bumps along her skin to alleviate the feeling as she looked out the window, focusing on the bright blue sky. "It's terrible. Whatever it is… What the Digimon Kaiser is doing is just terrible."

Taichi looked at Hikari briefly before he grunted in displeasure. "It's too bad that stuff disappears when it's destroyed. If Koshiro could analyze it, I'm sure he could figure out what it is and how we can smash all the Evil Rings and Dark Towers all at once."

Tailmon approached Hikari and placed paw on top of her partner's hand. "Whatever it did to me, I'm better now. I'll be able to fight now and put an end to this, and him."

Hikari looked at Tailmon's paw then focused on the Digimon's determined expression. She banished away the dark thoughts as best she could so that she could give Tailmon a sincere smile. "Right."

Taichi snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, I forgot why I came in here in the first place. Koshiro sent an email. He says he's got some ideas about the Digimentals and wants us all to meet at his place."

Tailmon glanced at Taichi before she looked at her reflection again. She walked back over to the mirror and smoothed her fur back into place, making sure she did not miss any lingering bald patches. She nodded in satisfaction when everything looked to be in order then jumped off the desk, adding in a couple of flips with a flourish to show the two children that she had fully recovered. "Ready."

Hikari could not suppress the urge to giggle when Tailmon showed off. She rose from her seat with her arms folded behind her back. "Okay, let's go."

Taichi grinned widely. "You've been hanging out with Hikari too much, Tailmon. You're becoming more girly every day. Maybe we should ask mom to take you out shopping for clothes and makeup."

Tailmon's ears twitched as she gave Taichi a flat look, though where was definitely a hint of a light blush on her cheeks. "Enough already."

Taichi's eyes took on a wicked glint as he snickered. "Or better yet, you should go shopping with Hikari as Angewomon."

The image of Angewomon without her wings or angelic armor strolling around town in casual dress was surprisingly entertaining for Hikari. It was almost tempting to take the suggestion seriously. "Actually, that sounds like fun."

Tailmon turned, so that neither child could see her blush darken despite her fur obscuring it. "I'm leaving without you!" With that, she hurried out the door without a backwards glance.

Hikari and Taichi shared a smile before they raced after Tailmon.

* * *

><p>Koshiro's bedroom was practically filled to capacity with children and Digimon by the time the last of their group, Yamato, arrived. "Sorry I'm late, I was at band practice," he said as he opened the door. He gave pause when he saw that everyone else was already present and trying not to crowd the others in the now cramped room.<p>

Yamato noticed the Digimon sitting somewhat off to the side from the children beside the door, dining on a large pile of snacks on a serving tray, which was no doubt left there by Yoshie. A grimace marred his features as he saw Palmon nibbling on some cake, covered in bandages, but apparently happy despite her injuries. He looked away quickly and noticed Chibimon staring at him, a half-eaten cookie all but forgotten in the small Digimon's paws.

Chibimon fixed Yamato with a piercing gaze before using his cookie to point towards his eyes then back at the Chosen Child. He waited for Yamato to blink before turning up his nose at the blond with a snort.

Yamato blinked, his expression contorting slightly, before he shook his head. He focused instead on Tailmon, who he was relieved to see no longer suffering from injuries. He doubted that he could stand to see _two_ Digimon covered in bandages today. "Well, you look good, Tailmon."

Tailmon smiled and nodded to Yamato, still feeling rather pleased by her recovery. "Yes, I'm all better now."

Taichi looked back at Yamato and raised his hand in greeting. "Hey, Yamato! About time you showed up." He paused then cocked his head slightly. "Oh yeah, that reminds me. How is your band doing without, ah…" He practically bit his tongue when he realized he shoved his foot in his mouth again about mentioning their missing partners.

What little good feeling Yamato gained from seeing Tailmon well again was gone. His eyes drifted downwards, as though he suddenly found his socks rather interesting. "We're just practicing right now. We're avoiding any gigs until… Gabumon comes back."

Daisuke sat on the floor not far from Chibimon, cookie crumbs dotting his mouth. He cast a curious gaze in Yamato's direction. He was unfamiliar with all of the other Chosen's Digimon, but he could guess that anyone with a 'mon' at the end of their name indicated a missing partner he had not met yet. "Huh? What, is Gabumon your band's mascot or something?"

A sly smile tugged at Yamato's lips. "That and he also plays drums." He chuckled softly, his smile broadening. "It really confused people at first, but now everyone thinks it's kind of cool."

Daisuke stared at Yamato with wide eyes. "Are you serious? No one minds that he's a Digimon?"

Yamato shook his head. "No one knows. They think he's just a short kid in a costume. A really _good_ costume."

"You're kidding," Daisuke said.

Taichi laughed as he thought back to the last time he watched the band play. "Nope. Not even Yamato's band mates figured it out."

Yamato chuckled along with Taichi as his smile grew from ear to ear. "He can play a mean set of drums, even with his small arms. We have to use an extension for the foot pedal, though."

Daisuke leaned closer to the older boys as he planted his palms against the ground, half pushing himself upward. "That's so cool! You've got to let Chibimon and me come see you guys play sometime!"

Yamato watched Daisuke squirm excitedly at the prospect in a long moment of silence, unsure of what to think. Eventually he gave the younger boy a thumbs up. "Sure, I can get you all front-row tickets!"

Daisuke let out a whoop as he threw his arms up into the air. "Awesome! You're the best!"

Chibimon's reaction was a stark contrast to Daisuke's enthusiasm. The little Digimon glared at Yamato through piercing red eyes that seemed to scream accusations towards the blond. He snorted through his nose before tapping between his eyes when Yamato looked his way. "Hmph."

The smile on Takeru's face was awkward as he felt both amused and a little concerned by Chibimon's behavior. He had to admit, it was pretty cute how valiantly the dragon Digimon was defending Daisuke – even when the newest Chosen Child appeared to have forgotten the incident between Daisuke, Taichi, and Yamato. That protectiveness just showed how deep a Chosen Digimon's love ran for their child. He only hoped that Chibimon would forgive his big brother eventually.

Yamato noticed Takeru's expression out of the corner of his eye. He frowned, hesitating for a moment before speaking up. "Hey, Takeru." The sound of his name caused the Chosen of Hope to look up at his older brother. "I was… wondering something."

Takeru hummed quizzically, his expression innocent despite his inkling of what his brother was about to ask him. He had been waiting for the shoe to drop after his little cleaning frenzy – there was no way his brother or his father could have missed it. It was just somewhat bothersome that it had taken two days before Yamato had decided to _finally_ bring the subject up. "Yes?"

Yamato had been ready to speak when a thought stopped him, his mouth shutting with a click of his teeth. It occurred to him that outright asking if Takeru snuck in to his apartment was a bad idea. He had no proof that it happened, and it would be weird to ask if his little brother had suddenly developed a love of cleaning. While the strangeness of the incident bothered him and he wanted answers, a new problem arose if he asked Takeru about it. If his little brother had nothing to do with it then he would wind up needlessly worrying Takeru over someone breaking into his home, or worse, that their apartment had been a total pigsty. "No, never mind."

Takeru stared at Yamato in disbelief. A long moment passed in uncomfortable silence between them before the older boy looked away to focus on the others, which caused his expression to deadpan. He could not believe it – his brother was actually backing down. Yamato's home had been invaded without permission, with all his possessions touched and rearranged, and yet he was not going to bring it up. It was irrelevant that Takeru had been the one to enter the apartment without permission, or that all he did was clean the place up – something significant had happened in Yamato's home without the Chosen of Friendship's permission and he was not going to bother so much as asking if Takeru had been by while he was out.

This refusal to discuss the matter rubbed Takeru the wrong way. It was once again a reminder to him that Yamato was keeping things from him, shielding him as though he was still a helpless child who had not participated in saving two worlds from destruction. He tried not to be angry, but he could not keep the ire from his voice. "Seriously?"

Yamato turned back to Takeru, caught off-guard by the tone. "Hm?" When his little brother did not answer right away, he arched an eyebrow. "What?"

Takeru stared hard at his brother, fighting the urge to show any of his irritation in his expression. After a few seconds, he managed to put on a convincing smile. Two could play that game. "No, nothing~!" The anger was gone from his voice, leaving behind an artificial sweetness.

Their conversation, as well as a few others from those present, ended when Koshiro gave a theatrical cough into his hand. He waited until everyone looked his way before he began speaking. "Now that everybody is here I'd like to get started if you don't mind."

Takeru ignored the confused glance Yamato sent his way. "Yes, of course." He straightened up a bit. "You were able to examine them?"

Koshiro slipped into the chair in front of the computer. "Yeah, and I found out a few interesting things. I'll start with your D-Terminal, Takeru."

Taichi gave Koshiro a questioning look. "Huh? Why Takeru's D-Terminal?"

Koshiro tapped the D-Terminal in question as it rested beside his closed laptop, which was set beside his computer. "Aside from the fact that Takeru was the only one to receive an email from that unknown sender, his D-Terminal suffered a severe crash afterward and had trouble booting back up properly. I examined it and it was suffering from some severe de-fragmentation, but other than that, there wasn't anything strange that I could find. I didn't find any sign of the email he mentioned, or who might have sent it."

Takeru frowned at that. "Well, that's pretty suspicious."

Koshiro nodded and handed the D-Terminal back to Takeru. "I agree, but you should still be able to use it alright."

"That's good, at least," Takeru said. He then hesitated. "And did you find out about what happened to my Digivice?"

"Huh?" Jou blinked and adjusted his glasses. "What happened to your Digivice?"

Koshiro pulled a Digivice from his pocket that looked strikingly similar to the one Hikari and the Digimon Kaiser possessed. The only difference between it and the other two was that it was colored in shades of gold and white. "Apparently Hikari isn't the only one to have her Digivice evolve."

Takeru noticed the surprised looks from the others and held out his Digivice so everyone could get a good look at it. "It happened after I used my Digimental. I didn't notice it until I got home, then sent Koshiro an email about it."

Sora cocked her head slightly. "So does that mean Takeru can now force open a Gate in to the Digital World too?"

"It should," Koshiro said, "and you should be able to as well, Sora."

"Me?" Sora pointed at herself, then frowned. "Why me?"

Koshiro gestured towards the Digimental of Love, which rested on the table by his laptop. "Because we have your Digimental right here."

Sora looked down at the Digimental for a long moment before she pulled out her Digivice. A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth when she noted that it looked exactly the same as when she last saw it that morning. "But it hasn't changed."

Koshiro tapped the Digimental of Love, his fingernail making a light thunking sound against the rigid surface. "That's why I want you to do what Takeru did and use your Digimental."

Sora blinked at that, her expression contorting slightly. "Would it really work like that…?"

"Only one way to find out," Yamato said.

"Theoretically it should still work," Koshiro said. "I've studied as much as I can about our Crests over the past two years, and while I still don't know a lot about how they work, I can tell you they're almost _nothing_ like the Digimentals. Granted, they both have a lot of power to them, but their structure and coding is completely different. While the Crests work by amplifying our potential with a bit of their own power, they depend on what's inside us, whereas the Digimentals recharge by themselves and store it for future use for whoever activates them at the time." He paused for a moment when he noticed the number of still blank expressions, sipping his ice tea as he reconsidered his explanation. "What I'm trying to say is that, our Digimentals don't need our Digimon or even _us_ to work. Any Chosen Child will be able to use any of the Digimentals at any time."

Sora nodded slightly, deciding to trust Koshiro's assessment – he was the one who had uncovered the most about how the Digital World worked after all. Tentatively, she reached down to pick up the Digimental, pausing for a moment due to how strange it felt. The Digimental was shockingly light in her hand, and felt almost fragile, despite its solid, heavy appearance. She raised the strange armored egg over her head. "Um… _Digimental Up_!"

The Digimental of Love flashed a brilliant shade of red. At that moment, Sora's Digivice began to glow a pure white that quickly turned a similar hue as the Digimental. As the Digimental disappeared in to Sora's Digivice, the Digivice shifted before their eyes, transforming into one exactly like Hikari and Takeru's – except it was a lovely shade of red and white.

"It… it worked!" Sora gasped as she held up her Digivice. "It changed!"

The others stared in various levels of surprise and amazement. "How pretty!" Mimi said. "I want my Digimental even more now."

Yamato rubbed his chin, as he looked Sora's Digivice over. "So if we get our own Digimentals, our Digivices should evolve too," he muttered. "Then we can open the Gates ourselves."

"That's not all," Koshiro said. "If I'm right, we can exchange our Digimentals so everyone can use any them at any time."

Daisuke's eyes widened and in an instant he was on his feet, leaning towards Koshiro. "You mean I can evolve V-mon into Pegasmon too?"

Koshiro chuckled softly. "Well, I don't think V-mon will evolve _exactly_ into Pegasmon, but he'll gain an Armor Evolution powered by Hope."

Takeru's brow furrowed as he looked at the small egg image on his Digivice – the icon for the Digimental of Hope. "So you mean even though Hope is my Digimental, anyone else can use it too?" He waited until Koshiro nodded. "But why? We couldn't pass our Crests around like that."

"That's why I said the Crests are different than the Digimentals," Koshiro said before he tapped his chest. "The Crests have always been a part of us. It's just their physical state gave us a boost we needed to activate our powers and enable our partners to evolve. The Digimentals have their own power source completely separate from us. It's like plugging my laptop into the wall verses running it off a battery. The Digimental is a battery and the crests are basically plugs attached to us."

"So then…," Hikari said in a halting voice. "Does that mean the Dark Towers have cut off our connection to our partners?" She cast a worried look in Tailmon's direction – the idea that anything could separate them made her feel sick inside. The intense expression on her partner's face silently informed her that Tailmon felt similarly. The other Digimon had stopped eating and shared troubled looks.

Jou slipped his glasses upward along the bridge of his nose. "Sounds almost like they're reverse-power lines doesn't it? They're cutting off all the power instead of spreading it around I mean."

Takeru let out a thoughtful hum as he touched his chin. "Huh. I guess that's why the Digimentals work even with the Dark Towers blocking us. When there's a power outage, batteries still work. They're not affected by no electricity."

Daisuke scratched his head, going cross-eyed. "Uh, wait, what? Chibimon and the others need electricity to evolve? I thought they just did it because we've got mystical powers of friendship and courage or whatever."

Taichi snorted as he tried not to laugh. "You got it right the first time, Daisuke." He shook his head with a rueful chuckle. "Well, whatever. It doesn't matter how they work as long as they work, right?"

"Takeru," Koshiro said, "I want you to see if you can transfer your Digimental to Hikari's Digivice. Sora, try doing the same with Mimi."

Takeru looked down at his Digivice before systematically pushing buttons to see what would happen. "Let's see…"

Sora knitted her brow as she hesitated to try anything with her Digivice. The configuration was completely different than before, and so was the menu layout. It made her feel uneasy. "What am I doing?" She glanced up at Koshiro. "Is there a button?"

"It should be under options on the main menu," Koshiro said. "The interface for the new Digivices is much better than the old one. After you select it, I think it's just a matter of willing it to happen."

Hikari raised her Digivice towards Takeru. "So we should just hold out our Digivices like this?"

Koshiro nodded. "Just be ready to receive, you two."

Mimi held her Digivice out towards Sora. "But what if it doesn't work with my Digivice?"

"That's what we're testing out," Koshiro said.

"Found it," Takeru said as he pressed at the new button, opening a menu that revealed – it had to be the control options for his Digimental. He pressed the button again, selecting the egg. "Sending, Hikari!"

"Sending too," Sora said as she watched the screen of her Digivice. "This thing's so much more complicated now."

Takeru and Sora's Digivices began to glow with golden and red light respectively. The light then burst forth from the small screens of the Digivices and transferred in an arc to Hikari and Mimi's Digivices.

Hikari examined screen of her Digivice once the light had faded. "I see Takeru's Digimental on my Digivice!"

"It worked for me too," Mimi said as she held up her Digivice to show a low-resolution image of the Digimental of Love.

Jou bent over to squint at Mimi's Digivice's screen, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. The icon reminded him of the style of graphics he might have found in a Nintendo game. "The question then is… if they can actually use it." He straightened up and slipped his glasses back into place as he glanced over towards Koshiro. "Would it make Mimi's Digivice upgrade too?"

"Only one way to find out," Koshiro said before nodding at Mimi.

Mimi's expression went from excited to troubled in less than a second. "But Palmon is still too injured from the battle with the Digimon Kaiser to evolve!"

"Actually, that might not be a problem," Koshiro said. "I gave it a lot of thought, and I think evolution actually _heals_ our Digimon. I can't think of a time when our Digimon evolved while injured that they were still suffering from those injuries when they were in their evolved forms."

Mimi gave a jolt. "Wait, we can heal Palmon? Just like that?"

Koshiro nodded, slightly, as he tried not to show his uncertainty towards his theory. "I believe that with all the energy and data that goes into our Digimon during the process of changing to a new form, the damage done to them is erased. It's almost like how leveling up in a video game refills the hero's hit point meter. We were just usually too focused on the battle going on to really think about it at the time, but after going over the data, I can't remember a time when they were still hurt after evolving to the next stage, can you?"

The group looked around at each other, as they thought back to their previous adventure, silent for a long moment. Jou was the first to speak, the corners of his mouth tilting downward. "I don't remember them staying hurt when they evolve to Adult or Perfect or Ultimate, but when they get hurt in their evolved forms the damage usually sticks around with them when they evolve back."

Koshiro scratched his nose lightly as he looked sideways at Tentomon. "True, but my theory about that is that it only works one-way. When our Digimon lose the extra energy, they don't have any left to spend on healing themselves, or to maintain their evolved forms."

Taichi folded his arms across his chest. "Well, you're the one who's figured out everything before the rest of us, so it sounds good to me."

Mimi grimaced. "Still… What if it ends up hurting Palmon?"

Palmon placed a hand on Mimi's arm and gave her partner a tender smile. "It's okay, Mimi. It couldn't hurt any worse than what the Digimon Kaiser did, and if it works I'll be all fixed up."

"Well…," Mimi said in a halting voice. "Okay. If you're _sure_, Palmon, then we'll try it."

Palmon attempted to get into a standing position, but was stopped by Tailmon's hand to her shoulder.

Tailmon looked around at the others. "Okay, everyone, let's give her space."

The Digimon and Children were quick to oblige despite the fact that it made Koshiro's room even more cramped than it had been a minute ago.

Mimi squeezed her Digivice hard in the palm of her hand before she thrust it in Palmon's direction. "Digimental Up!"

The Digivice gave off a gentle white glow before it sent a beam of light directly at Palmon. Power surged through the plant Digimon's body, causing her back to arch as words slipped easily past her lips. "Palmon, Armor Evolve!" The light entwined every inch of her body until the others could no longer see her. The glow turned a vibrant red as the light grew in size and shaped itself into a pair of wings that spread outward. The red around the Digimon that used to be Palmon faded away into shades of sky blue and tan that unfurled to reveal a being that almost looked like a human woman. She wore rather revealing light purple armor that formed into talons over her hands and feet, a mask that covered the lower half of her face, and a long black scarf. On her back was an impressive pair of wings in two shades of tan, while two smaller blue wings spread towards the ceiling from her short hair that matched the color of those smaller wings and her piercing eyes. "Shutumon!"

Mimi could not contain her squeal of delight at the sight of her evolved partner. "Shutumon! You're okay!" She lunged forward to take her partner's hands, tears stinging her eyes. "And you look so _beautiful!_"

Shutumon had been pleased enough to be recovered but at Mimi's words she paused to look down at herself. She smiled, the gesture hidden behind a mask covering the lower half of her face, but the delight was obvious in her sky blue eyes. "Mimi!"

Taichi grinned slyly. "Don't you mean _love_ly?"

Sora lightly swatted at him, even though she was smiling. "Taichi!"

Taichi chuckled and pretended to cringe back from the swat.

Koshiro smiled widely. "Excellent! That means that all of us can use any of the Digimentals."

Daisuke waved his Digivice into the air as he made eager noises. "Me next!" He darted to Koshiro's side. "I want to see what V-mon evolves into!"

Jou let out a sudden squeak as a terrible thought suddenly occurred to him. "W-wa-wait! We can't do that!"

Daisuke pulled a face. "Why not?"

"We don't know how big Chibimon is going to get when he evolves," Jou said. "We got lucky with Palmon's evolution, but we shouldn't be doing anymore evolving indoors, or we might get crushed!"

Koshiro had the good grace to blush. "Oops. Good catch, Jou. Who knows how big a dinosaur would get."

"Dragon!" Chibimon said, with a scowl. "I'm a _dragon_ type!"

"T-that's even worse!" Jou said.

"Er, sorry," Koshiro said. "Anyway, we can test out the different combinations later. Right now I want to focus on getting the rest of the Digimentals and how our Digivices have changed." He paused and looked at Mimi, who was busy giggling and examining Shutumon from all angles with an intense sense of glee. "Mimi, has your Digivice changed at all?"

It took Mimi a moment to register that Koshiro had asked her a question, as she had been in the midst of telling Shutumon her plans for how she might dress her partner up in lovely outfits. She blinked at Koshiro before looking down at her Digivice, her smile fading into a frown. "No, it looks the same as always."

"I thought so," Koshiro said. "We can use each other's Digimentals, but only our own Digimentals can evolve our Digivices."

"But wait," Hikari said, "that doesn't explain how my Digivice changed."

Koshiro frowned and rubbed his chin. "No, it doesn't. That's the part that's been bothering me. As far as I can tell, it probably has to do with Tailmon being pulled back from the Digital World the way she was… But the question is how you were able to do that at all. It shouldn't be possible."

Takeru let out a thoughtful hum as his eyes turned towards the ceiling. "Hikari's always had a special connection to the Digital World. It could be that she made it happen all on her own."

Koshiro nodded hesitantly, though his expression was still uneasy. There were too many unknowns about the situation for him to feel comfortable. "That's probably our best theory right now. Tailmon was pulled through while the Digimon Kaiser was trying to kill her, so Hikari must have somehow felt Tailmon was in danger at that time. It could be that their feelings of distress synchronized to the point that it distorted the barrier between the worlds."

Koshiro paused for a moment and made an unpleasant noise at the back of his throat. "Although… it's also possible that this phenomenon might not be exclusive to Hikari, but we wouldn't be able to find out unless our partners were in grave danger in the Digital World while we were still in the real world."

Such a suggestion made the Chosen Children whose partners were still missing give each other uneasy looks. The last thing they wanted to consider was what tortures the Digimon Kaiser could have been inflicting at that moment.

Daisuke was oblivious to the tense atmosphere as he outright gawked at Hikari, his mouth hanging open for a moment. "Wait, Hikari-chan, _you_ made that giant egg appear?"

Hikari shrugged awkwardly. "I don't know. If I did, I don't have any idea how to do it again."

"There's also the possibility that it was caused by Tenraimon's intervention," Koshiro said, his voice more subdued than it was a moment ago. "During our last adventure, she possessed Hikari a number of times to help us out, so it's possible that she's trying to assist us again."

Daisuke blinked. "Tenraimon?"

"It's kind of hard to explain," Jou said as he crossed his arms. "She's a Digimon that claims she's not a Digimon, who's a god that claims she's not a god."

Daisuke stared blankly at Jou as he made a drawn out sound of confusion.

Taichi scratched his scalp beneath his headband. "Yeah, we're just as confused about it as you are. We don't know all that much about Tenraimon, but helped us in the past, so that's good enough for me."

Yamato nodded, his expression grim. "Right, and now we have a plan of attack. We've got to get the other Digimentals so we can all evolve our Digivices, and then send this _Kaiser_ packing."

"We'll have to be careful," Sora said, her voice soft and her gaze distant. "Especially when he's using our own partners against us. The sooner we rescue them, the better."

"I'm sorry, Koshiro," Tentomon said softly.

Koshiro let out an awkward chuckle as he smiled at Tentomon. "What are you feeling sorry about? You were brainwashed at the time, so it's not your fault. It's the Digimon Kaiser who's to blame."

Daisuke punched his fist into his palm. "Right, so I say we go to the Digital World right now and kick his butt!"

Taichi rubbed his chin as a wide smile tugged at his lips. "Actually, that's not a bad idea."

Yamato arched an eyebrow as he looked at Taichi with dubious curiosity. "So, you've got a plan?"

Taichi's smile turned downright devious. "Let's give the Digimon Kaiser a taste of his own medicine by taking away some of his stuff. Daisuke will go with one group to smash as many Dark Towers as they can while the other goes to the coordinates Centarumon gave Koshiro."

"Hm?" Yamato furrowed his eyebrows. "Why Daisuke?"

"I think I know," Takeru said with a smirk. "It's because he's really good at getting under the Kaiser's skin." He chuckled softly. "I guess the Kaiser never forgave him for that goggle attack."

At the reminder of his lost goggles, Daisuke let out a whine. "Sorry, Hikari-chan! I threw away your present!"

Hikari smiled. "It's okay, Daisuke. You used them for a good cause. Anyway, I promised to give you better ones for your birthday, remember?"

Daisuke's bad mood evaporated in an instant. "Oh yeah, that's right!"

"I can do better than that," Taichi said. He removed his goggles and handed them to Daisuke. "You can use mine."

Daisuke stared at the goggles in reverence before he looked up at Taichi. "R-really, Senpai? I can have your goggles?"

Taichi chuckled and placed the goggles in Daisuke's hands. "At least until we take down the Digimon Kaiser or Hikari gets you a replacement. Who knows? You might need to use them again as another distraction."

Daisuke wasted no time in putting on Taichi's goggles. He grinned from ear to ear as he adjusted the placement on his head. "How do I look?"

"Daisuke looks so cool~!" Chibimon said as he waved his hands around and hopped in place.

Hikari hid her giggling behind her hand, amused by Daisuke and Chibimon's enthusiasm. "Those goggles suit you, Daisuke."

Takeru smiled as he gave Daisuke a thumbs up. "Looking good!"

Daisuke could not wipe away the huge smile on his face as he tugged on the goggles lightly. "Thanks."

Jou smiled briefly at Daisuke before he turned towards the others. "Alright, then we should have someone who can open Gates in both groups. So Takeru can go with Daisuke, and Hikari and Sora can–"

Tailmon's voice cut over Jou's. "I'm going with Daisuke and Takeru."

Jou turned to stare at the cat Digimon as he let out an inquisitive hum.

"I'm going to face that Kaiser head on," Tailmon said before raising a tightly clenched fist. "And then punch him in the nose."

"Tailmon…," Hikari said softly.

Sora's brow furrowed with concern. "Are you sure you're up to it?"

Tailmon nodded. "Absolutely."

Koshiro frowned. "It might be a good idea for Tailmon to evolve first, if temporarily here in the real world first, to make sure there's no lingering injuries. It seems to have worked for Shutumon." His mouth twisted unpleasantly. "Ah, sorry I didn't think of this sooner, Tailmon. You wouldn't have had to suffer for so long if I did."

Tailmon waved her paw towards Koshiro in a dismissive gesture. "I'm fine. I don't need it."

Daisuke grinned as he tugged on his goggles, only half paying attention to the conversation. "Don't worry. V-mon and me will protect Hikari-chan and Tailmon."

Takeru barely resisted the urge to snicker, though he was unable to suppress his smile. The idea of anyone protecting Tailmon when she was at the top of her game was absolutely hilarious.

Jou scratched the back of his head as he looked around at the others. "Well, I guess that means Sora will have to lead the group that's finding the Digimentals, as she's the only other person who can open Gates. And that means Mimi and Shutumon have to be with her, in case they run into anything."

"Just leave it to us," Mimi said before smiling at Shutumon. "We'll make sure Sora is safe. Right, Shutumon?"

Shutumon crossed her arms as she nodded. "Right, Mimi!"

A smile tugged at Sora's lips as she nodded. "If we find two Digimentals at each temple, that means we'll very quickly increase the number of us who can open the gates again."

Yamato folded his arms across his chest. "We're definitely going to run into our partners as we go." His eyes narrowed. "It's only a matter of time."

Taichi nodded with a grin on his face. "It's settled then. Tomorrow we're going to find those Digimentals and annoy the Digimon Kaiser!"

* * *

><p>Takeru moved swiftly as he approached the large apartment complex where he lived with his mother. He had left Koshiro's apartment later than he intended and he was sure that dinner would be waiting for him. His growling stomach could not wait to eat and he was certain that Patamon was even more ravenous than he was. They were going to need plenty of energy for tomorrow.<p>

Thoughts of their plans had Takeru's adrenaline pumping with eagerness that he could barely contain. He was aware that he needed to relax if he was going to get any sleep, but it was hard with the newfound sense of hope practically overflowing within him. Tomorrow would be an important day and he needed to be ready for it.

There was no way the Digimon Kaiser would be prepared for their newfound source of power, Takeru was certain. They were going to beat the tyrant back and rescue the rest of their partners and the rest of the captive Digimon. With the Digimentals, they would be able to evolve no matter the circumstances and the Digimon Kaiser would not be able to stop them or lock them out of the Digital World again.

"Watch out, Digimon Kaiser," Takeru said softly. "Here come the Chosen."

Takeru had barely touched the handle of the front door to the apartment complex when it burst open in front of him. He jerked back instinctively as he suddenly found himself face-to-face with a girl about his age wearing a school uniform.

"Hold it right there!" the girl said, her gaze severe behind her glasses. Takeru jumped back, startled, but had no chance to respond before she jabbed a finger to his chest with enough force that he took an involuntary step backwards. "I want to talk to you."

Takeru stared at the tall, lanky girl glaring down at him. She had long, neatly trimmed purple hair and severe violet eyes that glared at him behind a pair of round-framed glasses. He failed to recognize her, even though she acted as if she not only knew him, but also held some sort of authority over him, though after a moment's thought he did wonder if there was something familiar about her. He knew it would come to him sooner or later, but he needed to deal with what she wanted first. After giving himself a mental shake to recover from his surprise, he smoothed his expression into a smile. "Can I help you?"

The girl jabbed Takeru in the collarbone again with her finger, the edge of her long nail creating a particularly painful point. "We are overdue for a talk, Mister Takaishi."

Takeru paused as he looked the girl over with a more critical eye, inclining his head ever so slightly. "Have we met before?" She did not look like someone he would easily forget, but she apparently knew _him_.

The girl was half a head size taller than the Chosen of Hope, but her imposing expression made her appear even larger. Her attire also had an effect of making her appear older, as she was dressed in the uniform he vaguely recognized as belonging to his Elementary School. The uniform was optional, leftover from days when it was strictly required, but nowadays very few were willing to dress in uncomfortable attire when they could dress casual. This realization allowed him to figure out the identity of the girl standing in front of him. He only recognized her uniform as belonging to his school when he recalled that the representative for his class wore one to demonstrate her school pride and dedication to her position. It was not something easily overlooked by his fellow students, if the teasing whispers he overheard while she was giving out the class cleaning schedule were any indication.

The girl's eyes narrowed as she held up a finger in front of Takeru's face and he realized that he delayed too long in telling her that he recalled who she was. "First of all, I'm in your _class_. Remember? The girl who went to the front of the class _this morning_ to give a reminder of clean up duties for the week?" Another finger rose. "Second, you _would_ have met me if you and your mother bothered to greet your _neighbors_ when you moved in." Three fingers were held up in front of his face. "And third, and most importantly, I'm the person who has a problem with _certain rumors_ going on about you at school. About your hat, which is _not_ part of the dress code."

Patamon kept perfectly still, unblinking despite the class representative waving her fingers around in front of him. He felt somewhat uneasy due to her piercing stare, as occasionally it felt as though she was glaring into his eyes as well.

Takeru had the good grace to look sheepish. "Oh, right! You're the class representative!" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry about that! I just moved in, so I'm still pretty unfamiliar with the school." He really had no defense that he could give for not visiting the neighbors, at least not one he could tell people. After all, the first thing to greet him on his first day as a new resident of Odaiba was the Digimon Kaiser capturing Patamon and the others. Something as unimportant as greeting the neighbors had been left completely by the wayside.

"I've heard that you're unfamiliar with how _certain people_ should behave at school," the class representative said, her voice sharp and biting. "There have been a lot of _rumors_ going around that I've found quite upsetting."

Takeru paused at that before slowly raising an eyebrow. "Rumors?" The answer came to him quickly, striking him as rather obvious when he thought about it – the girl was clearly referring to the two boys he and Patamon confronted at the soccer field. Given their apparent interest in spreading trashy rumors, it was entirely likely that they decided to gossip about his behavior, if not the fact that his hat had a living decoration. "Huh."

The girl's gaze flattened. "_Rumors_ that your _hat_ is _not_ just a _hat_."

Patamon barely suppressed the urge to flinch when the class representative poked his nose.

Takeru took a subtle step backwards and inclined his head, discreetly leaning Patamon away from the girl's reach. "Yeah, something about it coming alive, right? I guess that's what they'd say."

Severe creases appeared around the class representative's narrowed eyes as her mouth stretched out into a thin line. "They shouldn't be saying anything like that at all, and _you_ should be inviting me up to your apartment so we could discuss what people are saying about your _hat_ in _private_."

Takeru hesitated to respond right away, as he got the impression that he was missing something in the conversation. The girl's posture and expression signaled that her frustration with him was growing, and her preoccupation with his 'hat' seemed far too ridiculous to warrant her agitated behavior. Her claim that it was not following the dress code did not make any sense as it was not even enforced, as uniforms like the one the class representative wore were _optional_. His hat should not have been a big deal, but _clearly_ it was a problem to this strange girl. "Okay, sure?"

The representative let out a huff before she grabbed Takeru's wrist and dragged him inside the apartment complex. "Then let's _go_ already!"

Takeru momentarily stumbled when the tall girl forced him along, but recovered quickly, _following_ the girl towards his own apartment rather than leading her to it. For someone he barely knew, she certainly seemed to know a lot about _him, _including where he lived. Within minutes, they were up the elevator and in front of his apartment. There, she finally let him go and drummed her fingers impatiently on her upper arm as she gave him a pointed stare. He took that as his cue pull out his key and open the door.

"I'm home, and I have a visitor!" Takeru said as he stepped inside, hoping his mother would catch his meaning. His response was something too faint for him to make out clearly, which hinted to him that Natsuko was currently too preoccupied with her writing to pay much attention. He tilted his head slightly and made a quiet noise of frustration before he could stifle it. Sometimes his mother got that way, tuning out the world around her as she focused entirely on her work. He vaguely recalled that it was a source of tension between her and his father before their divorce.

After giving his head a mental shake, Takeru focused on the present and the problem that followed him into the apartment. He had to be careful when taking off his shoes so as not to jostle Patamon or making his partner so off balance that it risked the Digimon falling off his head. He knew his movements looked rather strange to an observer, but it was better than explaining his 'hat' to her when she was already having so many issues with it. "Make yourself at home."

The girl slipped off her shoes and placed them neatly in the cubby beside the front door before turning back to Takeru. "Don't mind if I do." Her hands lashed out lightning fast to snatch Patamon off Takeru's hat as the Chosen of Hope instinctively jerked back. She brought the Digimon close enough that they were practically nose-to-nose. "_You_ are in big trouble, Mister."

Patamon barely held back the urge to let out a startled cry as he was snatched away from Takeru, suppressing his reaction to barely more than a twitch of his eyes.

Takeru was left off balance from the girl's actions, both literally and metaphorically, but he recovered quickly. "Whoa, whoa, what–_?_!" He reached for Patamon, but she had already started walking, leaving him grasping for air.

The class representative stormed into the kitchen, her gaze never wavering from Patamon's eyes. "I know the bullying problem at the school is bad, but you can't just slap people around just because you're trying to protect your partner! It's irresponsible! What if people didn't laugh at those two boys and took it seriously? They might've tried to grab you or jab you with pins or something!"

Patamon had trouble resisting the urge to blink or let his expression change even as he began to perspire. All he could do was hope that Takeru would come to his rescue before he gave himself away.

Takeru followed the girl around the kitchen table, trying in vain to reach around her to grab Patamon. "Uh, excuse me…?"

The representative suddenly turned on her heel and dropped Patamon into Takeru's hands. "I swear, you really weren't thinking at all, were you? At least Tailmon knows how to hide in trees so no one sees her smack the people harassing Yagami, and even _Motomiya_ has the sense to keep Chibimon in that duffle bag he carries around!" She directed her outstretched finger at Takeru. "Takaishi, if you're going to parade Patamon around for all to see, you need to make sure to handle your own conflicts and keep your Digimon from risking the whole operation! Got it?"

Takeru outright gawked at the girl in front of him. Even though he had Patamon safely back in his hands, he felt too stunned to be relieved. Her words slowly filtered through his confusion, though they simply _added_ to it rather than subtracted from it. "Wait! Wait, wait, _wait_! You know about Digimon_!_?"

The class representative let out a breath of frustration as she put her hands on her hips. "Of course! Koshiro told you all about me, didn't he? I've only been helping him with this for, what, something like two and a half years now?"

Takeru opened his mouth, but when words failed him, he snapped it shut so quickly that his teeth clicked. The second hand of the clock on the wall ticked loudly in the sudden tense silence between them as he struggled with this new revelation. Eventually, his voice returned to him. "N-no! No, he never said _anything_ about you!"

The school girl blinked before a frown marred her face. "Oh come on, seriously? I only _made_ the hardware for the D-Terminals you Chosen use! How rude!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "I swear, I'm going to give it to him when I get online later. There's a whole chat room of us helping out you Chosen, and you'd think Koshiro would at least bother to give you our names!"

Patamon barely resisted the urge to look up at Takeru, uncertain if he should continue his stuffed animal act or not. It seemed unlikely that he needed to bother at this point, given that the girl knew Koshiro and Digimon, as well as referred to him by name, but he did not want to make a move until his partner said so.

Takeru nearly dropped Patamon, but his instinct quickly activated when his logic shut down and he caught his partner before he did more than slip a little in his grip. "A… chat room…?" He vaguely remembered Koshiro mentioning online friends he discussed Digimon with, but the Chosen of Knowledge never mentioned actual names. Of course, Takeru knew that real people _had_ to be in that chat room, but it was vastly different to actually _meet_ one of the nameless individuals. Of course, the whole situation _still_ felt surreal, giving him the strange sense he was dreaming or slipped into another dimension that was even more topsy-turvy at times than even the Digital World.

The class representative blew a stray strand of hair out of her face. "Just email him yourself if you don't believe me. Anyway, the point is that what you two did the other day was _really_ risky. It was bad enough Yagami summoned that giant egg over the school, but _she_ couldn't help it, or at least that's what Koshiro thinks. _You_ on the other hand _chose_ to make a scene, and put everyone at risk!"

For a long moment, Takeru could only stare at the girl before a frown tugged at his lips. His confusion was still present, but what else the girl was telling him slowly sank in, stirring up a sense of exasperation. "A 'scene'."

The girl pushed her glasses upward. "I don't know what it is those guys said to set you off, but Patamon shouldn't be slapping people around." She raised a finger and waved it from side to side. "Like I said before, people might start getting curious that he is alive, and with how pranks and bullying have gone overboard at school lately, I wouldn't put it past people to try jabbing him with something sharp either to verify the rumor or just to pick on you."

A weighty silence settled between Takeru and the girl for a long moment. He could feel Patamon tense in his hands, obviously uneasy about the idea of being pricked with needles while being forced to remain still and silent. Such a thing was no different than putting his partner through torture. Slowly, the Chosen of Hope managed a convincing smile, as he pulled Patamon a little closer to him. "I wouldn't let them, so it's not a problem."

The representative held her hand against her cheek with a groan. "Look, that's not the _point_. The point is that you guys need to be more _careful_ and you need a better system of keeping Patamon on hand without him having to pretend to be a statue and be in plain sight when he decides to smack people around. I know the Digimon protect you and they can't _not_ do it if someone is going after you, but they need to be _sneakier_ about it. Not to mention standing still all day probably isn't all that fun for him. That's all I'm saying."

Despite everything Takeru had been told, he still was not sure what to make of the girl in front of him. It was fairly obvious by now that she was telling the truth about how much she knew about Digimon and the Chosen, and likely where she received her information. It bothered him a bit that he could not remember her name, or if she had provided it in the first place. It also felt strange that this total stranger appeared more concerned about Patamon and the incident with the two boys than he was. Just the same, he supposed she had a point. "I guess we can discuss what to do if something like that ever happens again."

The class representative rubbed her forehead. "The point is to _prevent_ this from happening again. I've been on edge as it is with Tailmon's sneak attacks, and she's never in plain sight on school grounds!" She turned her attention to Patamon. "And would you quit the stuffed toy act already? I already know you're good at it, but you can at least tell me you'll be more careful!"

Takeru blinked as he noticed how severe the creases on the girl's face had become. "It's really stressing you out, isn't it?"

The class representative exhaled deeply as her shoulders sagged before she nodded. "You've got _no_ idea how hard it is to counter nasty rumors. They never really completely disappear you know – especially not when people like to make more to replace them." She pushed her glasses upward and fixed Takeru with a piercing look. "It's bad enough trying to get this bullying problem under control for Yagami, but now I've got Motomiya's huge mess to deal with on top of it. I don't need _you_ giving me trouble too!"

Takeru let out a brief chuckle, though it sounded less than sincere. "Well, you don't need to worry about me. I can handle myself."

Patamon had reached his limit of remaining silent. He lightly nudged Takeru with his back leg and risked a glance towards his partner when the girl closed her eyes to rub her temples, whispering Takeru's name softly.

Takeru paused and glanced at Patamon, feeling slightly sheepish when he realized that his partner had been waiting for his permission to move for the entirety of the conversation. "It's okay, Patamon. I think she's pretty much got us figured out."

Patamon sagged with relief before he flapped his wings, eager to stretch them out. He blinked a few times to alleviate his itchy eyes as he hovered beside Takeru's head before he turned his attention to the girl. "Sorry for not saying anything earlier, but I _do_ try to be careful not to give myself away."

The class representative scarcely blinked when she watched Patamon flutter about, instead fixing him with a stink eye as she folded her arms across her chest. "Except to slap kids around?"

Patamon chuckled and had the good grace to look at least slightly guilty, even as he gave the girl a wry smile. "Only if they deserve it. If you heard what those boys were talking about, you'd have a hard time holding yourself back too. I _still_ can't believe those boys could say such awful things."

Takeru sighed softly. "That was my fault." He leaned back a bit as he recalled the anger he felt towards the two boys, how it churned beneath his skin and burned like magma, aching to burst out in a fiery display of violence. "I guess he thought slapping them would be better than letting me strangle them."

The class representative was taken aback, by both what he had said, but more by the casual tone Takeru used. It was enough to render her silent for a long, uncomfortable moment before she could respond. "O… kay. Were they threatening you, or was it just the rumors about Yagami and Motomiya?" She slowly built up momentum as she spoke, recovering from her uncomfortable feelings to talk with greater passion and a touch more speed. "They did say that you flipped out at them talking about those two before Patamon started slapping them. Because if the problem was just the crap people have been saying about them, I'm taking care of it, so you should stop worrying about it and leave it to me. I've been talking with the teachers and they're not going to expel Motomiya, let alone Yagami."

Takeru's smile grew strained. He could not forget what the boys said to him, even if this girl tried to reassure him that it was her responsibility and not his. It felt contrary to his instincts – Hikari was his friend, not this stranger. If anyone should protect her, aside from Tailmon, it would be him. He did not know Daisuke nearly as well as he did Hikari, but he could already tell what kind of person the other boy was, and the rumors did not fit what he had seen so far. The injustice of what was happening to Daisuke and Hikari made it downright impossible for him to calm down, no matter how much his classmate tried to placate him. "No, they didn't threaten me."

Patamon scowled at the memory. "What those boys said about Hikari and Daisuke is inexcusable. _They_ should be the ones expelled!"

"Okay, you got me there," the class representative said. "I can't argue that they didn't deserve _some_ sort of punishment for trashing other peoples' reputations. But, look, I've got the teachers convinced that everything about Yagami is a lie, and Motomiya…" She grimaced. "Well, I'm _trying_, but some stuff that happened at his cram school is sort of haunting him. Not to mention he gets in fights with anyone who badmouths Yagami when he's in earshot. I've tried telling him that throwing punches isn't going to fix Yagami's reputation or his, but that boy just doesn't listen!"

Takeru was briefly tempted to ask girl for more information about why Daisuke's reputation was so tarnished, or Hikari's for that matter, but he ultimately decided it was not important – he was certain that nothing of it was true anyway. "I know. He's a very straight-forward guy, like some _other_ people I know." A slight smile tugged at his lips. "But it doesn't really matter. Unless they can prove what they're saying, the school can't do anything to Daisuke. And considering it's all lies, they have no case."

Patamon landed on the kitchen table so that he could pick up an apple from the basket of fruit. "The school should be focusing on the kids who are picking the fights by saying nasty things about Hikari, not Daisuke. Anyone would get angry if they heard something saying such terrible things about their friend!"

"I'm working on it," the class representative said, her tone growing impatient. "Just it'd make things easier if everyone tried to keep things _discreet_. Violence might take down evil Digimon overlords, but they don't solve _everything_, you know."

Takeru found the girl's words to be rather ironic. He could remember countless times as a Chosen where violence was often the _only_ answer, where force had to be met with force or else they risked not only their lives, but everyone in both worlds as well. Admittedly, the bullies were not on the same scale as Vamdemon or the Dark Masters, but there was still a lesson in it. He would avoid a fight if he could, but he definitely would not back down from one if it came to him. Still, he knew better than to say that aloud.

The class representative straightened up as she pushed her round-framed glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Alright then, with that out of the way, I'd like to ask you a few questions about that email you got in the Digital World. Koshiro didn't have any real data on it to send us, so I figured since I'm here I would ask you to describe exactly what happened."

Takeru blinked, startled by the sudden change of topic. His mind drifted back to the comment she had made about making the D-Terminals and supposed that it made sense that she would be so interested in the incident. "Sure, go ahead."

"First of all," the girl said as she raised a finger, "I want to know exactly what you saw, and especially what _exactly_ the glitches looked like."

Takeru crossed his arms, his eyes going unfocused as he looked towards the ceiling. "The font was weird, for one. It looked like someone's rushed handwriting, except the pixels were distorted. Like the words were falling apart?"

The class representative raised her eyebrows. "When you say handwriting, do you mean the font looked _similar_ to handwriting, or that it was actually written on an image file?"

Takeru frowned, recalling the sense of unease he felt when he looked over the strange message. "It was like… someone carved the words on my screen, except they didn't. Does that make sense?"

The class representative jerked slightly, her eyes widening. "'Carved'? What do you mean by carved? There wasn't damage to the hardware, was there?"

Takeru shook his head. "No, Koshiro checked it. There was no damage, and the email was gone. The system _did_ crash, but he got it running again." He paused when he noticed the girl rotating her hand in an impatient circle. A moment later, a light went off in his head and he realized what the pantomime meant. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the D-Terminal, handing it over to the girl. "Here."

The class representative snatched up the D-Terminal and moved her glasses to the top of her head so that she could better examine the device from all angles. Once satisfied that the hardware appeared to be undamaged, she booted it up, the corner of her mouth twitching downward. "Koshiro told me the data got fragmented to the point he had to wipe it completely clean and reinstall all the data. He tried finding the email in the logs before that, but everything was corrupted and he couldn't even get your _normal_ emails back, or access any of the programs, so those are gone for good."

Takeru nodded, unfazed by the loss of his emails – there was nothing important on them anyway. "Apparently, whatever the email did, it messed things up pretty badly."

The class representative cycled through the programs and data, occasionally glancing back up at Takeru, her eyes squinting when she tried to get a good look at his face despite her nearsightedness. "Okay then, go back to what you were talking about. How can you carve up a computer screen but not carve it?"

Takeru shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, it just looked like the words weren't a font so much as… etched into the screen."

The class representative lightly ran her fingers along the D-Terminal's screen, not finding a single imperfection aside from the smudges she left behind. Her mouth twisted, as though she had tasted something foul. "So whoever sent you that email wasn't just some hacker that could cover their tracks."

"Yeah," Takeru said, with a slight grimace. "The whole thing felt weird, though I didn't have a lot of time to really think about it. I mean, the fact that the sender even _knew_ what was going on _and_ knew how to use the Digimentals…"

The class representative pulled out a glasses cleaning cloth and wiped off the D-Terminal's screen. "This sounds like unnatural phenomena to me, like the sky tearing open to show the Digital World, or that egg Yagami summoned." She paused for a moment, her eyes lighting up as she turned her attention from the screen to Takeru. "Wait, maybe that's it! Maybe it's another Chosen with some reality-defying power. There's fifteen of you guys, right? And Yagami has that god or whatever who messes with her and reality… Tenraimon, wasn't it?"

Takeru's eyebrows shot up. "That _would_ explain how they knew about the Digimentals, but why the strange email?"

The girl turned off the D-Terminal and snapped the lid shut with a flick of her wrist. "You got me." She passed the D-Terminal back to Takeru, who tucked it away into his pocket. "Maybe the Digimon Kaiser locked them out and they can't get back in? Or maybe they like being weird and mysterious." She shrugged before sliding her glasses back into place. She went silent for a moment before her brow furrowed. "Although, not to totally shoot down my theory, but we don't actually have evidence that it _is_ a Chosen who did it. For all we know it's another DigiGod like the one attached to Yagami, or even just some Digimon that's got powers to mess with reality, like the stuff Vamdemon pulled or Apocalymon."

Takeru let out brief ironic laugh as he slowly shook his head. "You're right about that. Just when we think we've got the Digital World figured, it goes around and does something _else_ to completely shatter our expectations. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it does that on _purpose_."

The class representative's eyebrows shot up for a second before her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure that it isn't?"

Takeru felt taken aback and paused to consider the possibility. "No… I guess I can't be sure."

Patamon slowly chewed on his apple with a skeptical look on his face, speaking only after he swallowed the core. "I really don't think the Digital World is alive, or at least if it is, then it's not alive like Digimon or humans are, where it can think and act on its own. If it was, what happened with Apocalymon and the Dark Masters would've made it react for sure."

"I guess it doesn't matter," Takeru said with a shrug. "We still don't know much of anything. All we can really do is keep going forward, and hope things eventually start to make sense."

"I disagree," the class representative said, her voice sharp. "I know your thing is hope and all, but I don't like putting off finding out answers until later." She removed her glasses so that she could wipe at the lenses with her cleaning cloth. "I'm going to get to the bottom of things." Her expression grew dark briefly, a dangerous gleam appearing in her eyes. "No one messes up my greatest creation and gets away with it!"

Takeru tilted his head as he smiled. "Well, if you figure anything out, let us know. It'd be nice to actually know something, for once!"

The girl let out a pleased noise as she slid her glasses back on. "Of course! It's what I'm here for after all." A glance at the clock on the wall took away her smile. "Oh shoot! I've got to go." She breezed past Takeru without waiting for a reply. "It was great to finally meet you." She glanced back once she reached the doorway before putting her shoes on. "And that reminds me, you and your mom _still_ need to go around to greet your neighbors. How else are we supposed to welcome you to the building?"

"I'll definitely talk to her about that," Takeru said as he watched the girl move with surprising quickness. She definitely had a lot of enthusiasm – perhaps a bit too _much_ enthusiasm in his opinion. Still, he supposed that was not necessarily a bad thing. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you, ah…"

The girl paused before snapping her fingers. "Oh, right, I never gave you my name, did I? Sorry about that! My name is Miyako Inoue." She bowed from the waist up before flashing the boys a grin. "It's a pleasure to _finally_ meet you guys."

"Nice to meet you as well," Takeru said, his smile widening. "Thank you for all your help."

"Thanks a lot," Patamon said as he flew over, landing atop Takeru's head. "We really appreciate it."

At the door, Miyako held a pointing finger out towards the two boys. "You can thank me by figuring out a better system for hiding out. Got it?"

Neither Takeru nor Patamon had the chance to answer before she was out the door and gone from the apartment altogether.

Patamon blinked before gazing down at his partner. "Do you think _all_ of Koshiro's online friends are like that?"

Takeru scratched the back of his head. "I have _no_ idea."


	10. Chapter 9

The Dark Tower loomed above the rock quarry like a silent sentinel whose unforgiving gaze tolerated no disobedience. All around it, Digimon ensnared by Evil Rings toiled endlessly, chipping away at the hard stone and lugging it away in mine carts with wheels that screeched from a lack of oil. The slaves scarcely reacted to the noise or the labor, but they would cry out as the whips of the Golemon overseers struck them when their work fell short in some way. Despite being wounded, the laborers showed no real fear as new gashes marked their bodies, instead altering their actions in accordance to the instructions barked out in dead, booming voices. The overseers, fitted in their own collars, displayed as much genuine emotion the rest of the slaves, even as their faces were twisted in what should have passed for sneers of disgust and anger. When a Digimon fell from a blow and could not pull themselves back up, they were lashed until another slave tossed them into one of the carts along with the rocks and sent them down along the tracks.

The small party of Chosen Children and Digimon observed the horrors from a relatively safe distance, each sickened by what they saw. Daisuke growled as he clenched his fist tightly, fairly quaking with rage. It was hard to keep still, lying on his belly at the edge of the cliff overlooking the quarry. He wanted to jump down into the fray and smash Evil Rings with his bare hands. The only thing that held him back was the insistence of the others that they needed to stick to the plan of action they made before arriving. "Damn it… That _damn_ Digimon Kaiser! It's bad enough he's got them all brainwashed… He doesn't have to make them hurt each other too!"

Takeru swallowed the bile that built in the back of his throat. There was no logic using corporal punishment to force brainwash slaves to work – they would do it regardless of how they felt. That was the entire point of enslaving someone's mind, to prevent them from even _wanting_ to rebel. "It's like he gets some sick, sadistic pleasure from all this," he said, his breath hissing between his teeth. "It's just excessive."

"He does," Tailmon said, her voice as harsh as the gaze she cast upon the quarry. "He enjoys making Digimon suffer."

Hikari looked away from the sight of a Golemon whipping a helpless Gazimon until the latter was no longer able to stand. Her body shuddered as her heart twisted, unshed tears stinging behind her eyelids. She ached for all the Digimon down below, including those holding the whips. Being forced to hurt, possibly even kill others was too terrible to even think about. "How cruel… He's not even here to watch it, and he still…" Her only solace she had was that those under the control of the Evil Rings forgot everything that happened to them while they were enslaved. Once they freed the Digimon, they would only have to deal with the physical wounds the Digimon Kaiser left behind.

Daisuke grunted and readjusted his goggles so that they were over his eyes, readying himself for the battle ahead. "Well, he's not gonna get away with it much longer. Everybody ready to begin the next phase?"

"Y-yes," Hikari said, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Let's hurry."

Daisuke nodded and turned to his partner, his expression grim despite his smile. "Ready, V-mon?"

V-mon got to his feet, his hands balled into fists, as he flashed his sharp teeth in a smile. "Ready, Daisuke!"

Takeru looked at the Digimental of Hope on his Digivice screen as it waited to be activated. Now was the time to bring hope back to the Digital world. "Patamon!" he said sharply as he held up his Digivice.

Patamon nodded and within moments had evolved to Pegasmon. He landed beside Takeru and moved his wings aside so that his partner could climb onto his back. "We'll take care of things from above."

Hikari gave herself a mental shake so that she could focus on the task at hand. "Right. We'll meet you down below."

Takeru slid onto Pegasmon, hooking his fingers into the winged Digimon's armor for lack of anything better to hang onto. For the briefest of moments, he allowed himself to feel amused that he was getting a ride from his partner for a change instead of the other way around, but when the moment ended, all mirth disappeared, replaced with cold determination. "Alright, let's rescue those Digimon!"

The tension in the air was nearly unbearable as Pegasmon flew high over the quarry, not too far beneath the clouds that blanketed the sky. At first, it seemed no one down below had noticed the pair's presence, too caught up in the mindless repetition of their pre-programmed tasks. That changed after a Gotsumon was tossed into one of the carts, its battered rocky body covered in nearly as many chips as the rocks beneath it. Its head fell in a position where its distant, empty gaze was directed skyward, its mouth hanging open as it took in shallow, rasping breaths. Its eyes were dull despite their red glow, and slow to focus on the speck of color that stood out against the gray. A trembling hand slowly raised from the cart with great effort, pointing upwards, while the abused Digimon moved its mouth, its voice cracking before it managed to force out a single word, "Intruder!"

More eyes turned towards the sky, and soon the entire mine was chanting that same word, as tools and rocks fell to the ground from suddenly limp hands. The sky, darkened by storm clouds, lit up with countless streaks of energy, fire, and the like, as every Digimon with an ounce of energy for a ranged attack sent it flying towards Peagsmon. Those who possessed no such means to fight improvised weapons, pitching stones upward in often pitiful arcs. Their voices mingled into a violent din of attack names, shouted, spoken, or whispered, but all was empty of passion or caring.

"Hang on tight, Takeru!" Pegasmon said through gritted teeth. He no longer had the luxury to focus on making sure Takeru remained balanced on his back safely – every bit of his energy and concentration was directed towards evasive maneuvers, as the attacks of at least a hundred Digimon came towards him in all directions.

Takeru wrapped his arms around Pegasmon's neck and squeezed his hands together until they hurt. It was a juggling act to maintain the right amount of pressure to keep himself from being shaken off during the constant sudden movements without risking choking his partner. He clenched his jaw as the heat from a ball of energy grazed his arm with searing heat, smoldering his outfit, but he refused to cry out, lest he distract Pegasmon and risk both of them being shot out of the sky with a direct hit.

The rest of the Chosen could do little but watch their friends fight to stay aloft as they slipped stealthily down opposite sides of the hill in two groups. The rocks provided plenty of cover for them to duck behind to avoid detection, but it seemed unnecessary, as the controlled Digimon all seemed entirely focused on Pegasmon and Takeru.

Tailmon lashed out at the few scattered slaves at the edge of the crowd, moving with the grace of an acrobat as she flipped over rocks and Digimon to slice apart Evil Rings. Hikari followed swiftly after to pull the newly freed Digimon into hiding and shush them before any of their still controlled brethren noticed what was going on.

Daisuke and V-mon were hindered because they were not anywhere near as agile or stealthy as Tailmon or Hikari, and V-mon was unable to evolve into an Adult. This left them with the task of going the most roundabout route they could towards the Dark Tower. It was a test of the pair's patience, as Daisuke felt increasingly worked up knowing that Hikari was so close to danger, and seeing Takeru and Patamon act as decoys had been fine in theory up until he actually saw it in action, which caused him to inwardly writhe with worry. V-mon, likewise, grew increasingly impatient, as he was getting fed up with sneaking around so much.

Despite the situation, Hikari managed to feel a sense of relief as she watched Tailmon easily evade a Golemon's punch to shatter its collar. The joy she felt seeing her partner back in fighting form after being out of commission for so long allowed her something to focus on besides worrying for her friends or that the army of still controlled Digimon would turn their wrath upon her and Tailmon. Unfortunately, the more Digimon they freed, the greater the risk of discovery grew, as the Digimon were confused, afraid, and injured. It was difficult for her to calm them all, and a part of her wished for that mystical strength and aura of serenity Tenraimon granted her to put the enslaved Numemon at ease years ago.

Almost as soon as Hikari had thought of it, one of the newly liberated Digimon, a Numemon, cracked under the pressure. "Forget this!" it shouted as it slithered away with surprising quickness. "I'm out of here!"

What followed was a domino effect that Hikari had no hope of stopping, no matter how she pleaded. Soon, nearly all of the Digimon she had been trying to calm took off running blindly away from the dig site, the sound of their screaming or sobs of fear and pain drowning out the Chosen of Light's words. Fear had taken hold like a virus, causing a number of Digimon to be knocked down and trod upon by their fellows in their desperate bid to flee the Digimon Kaiser's territory.

Unfortunately, this did not go unnoticed by the Digimon still enslaved. "Intruders!" one of the Golemon shouted. "Stop them!"

Tailmon shifted strategies in a heartbeat as the army turned their attention towards her and Hikari. While they were still at the edge of the mob, most of them ceased their assault on Pegasmon and Takeru to focus on the girls, who appeared to be deemed a greater threat. Tailmon lunged at Hikari, using her exceptional strength to scoop the child up into her arms and dodge a number of attacks sent their way. Though she managed to evade the attacks themselves, she grunted as rock shrapnel scraped her skin from explosions that destroyed the nearby boulders and ground.

Takeru noticed the decline in attacks almost instantly, as Pegasmon could afford to level out their flight path. He spat out a curse between his teeth as he saw the girls become the new target of the Digimon Kaiser's army. "Let's go for the Dark Tower. That'll get some attention!"

"Got it," Pegasmon said. Despite a few stray shots from the ground, he had a clear path to the Dark Tower. Instinctively he reared up slightly as he readied an attack of his own. "Needle Rain!" His golden mane moved violently, as though it was alive, each hair turning rock hard and sharp to launch a spray of needles at the black obelisk. Though he and Takeru heard the sound of cracking, the surface of the Dark Tower was devoid of light, making it impossible to see any visible damage except for small chunks that fell to the ground like the shadows of raindrops.

To Takeru and Pegasmon's relief, the brainwashed Digimon soon barked out commands to fall back to protect the Dark Tower. They had successfully drawn the attention of the enemy away from the girls.

Daisuke's patience had reached his limit as he watched the others engage the controlled Digimon in combat, his body so tense he shook faintly. Adrenaline flowed hot through his veins as he and V-mon neared the Dark Tower. He realized, with a mixed sense of irritation and eagerness, that there was no way for him to approach the structure now with the Digimon guarding it. It was impossible for him to he could sneak past so many opponents unseen – he and V-mon would have to fight in order to destroy it and complete their part of the mission. They had to stop the battle before the Digimon seriously injured any of his friends. "Alright! V-mon, go get those guys!"

Regrettably, it was only after Daisuke popped out of cover and shouted at the top of his lungs that he remembered that this turn of events had not been unforeseen. In the event the Digimon grouped around the Dark Tower, he and V-mon were supposed to wait until Takeru and Pegasmon lured them away, or punched a hole in their defense to give him and his partner an opening to exploit. The red eyes that focused towards both the goggle boy and the diminutive dragon informed Daisuke under no uncertain terms that he had destroyed his one shot to take them by surprise.

V-mon had discarded the plan the second Daisuke ordered him to attack, too eager to even consider any doubts as he lunged into the nearest Digimon headfirst. "V-mon Head!" The Gazimon was sent flying backwards into two of its fellows from the blow, the Evil Ring shattering from its neck. V-mon barely dodged a wooden club with screwdrivers sticking out of it, as the weapon came streaking down towards his head. The Goburimon, a small green oni in stark leather clothes, snarled as it tried to attack again, only for V-mon to lunge at him, foot extended. "Hopping Kick!" As the Goburimon fell, Evil Ring transforming into liquid, more Digimon stepped forward to take its place.

V-mon looked at the crowd converging towards him as he readied his next attack, briefly raising his eyes towards the sky when Pegasmon swooped down to knock down a number of the Digimon with a gust of wind left by his passing. The blue dragon's expression turned into a grimace. "I want to evolve too! I want to protect Daisuke!"

"Don't worry, V-mon!" Daisuke shouted from a relatively safe distance away. "You're doing great! You don't even need to evolve!"

V-mon risked a glance back at his partner after destroying another Evil Ring with his fist and nodded, his expression brightening considerably. "Right!"

Despite the chaos that ensued, as previously controlled Digimon went into a blind panic and fled in all directions while those still enslaved started to converge on Daisuke and his friends, he would have been lying to say that he was not enjoying himself. Shouting out warnings and directing where V-mon should attack made him feel like a commander of his own personal army. Instructing the liberated Digimon where to go to escape safety made him feel like the leader of a rebellion.

No, Daisuke corrected himself a moment later. He was neither of those things. What he felt like, what he had become, was a hero.

Tailmon spared a glance in the direction of V-mon and Daisuke, her ears canting back. She did not expect too much from either of them, as they were new to battles and she could tell the pair had rather impulsive personalities. For that reason, she was not _entirely_ taken aback that the plan had been discarded so carelessly. She supposed that she should have been surprised that they lasted as long as they did. She readjusted her own tactics to compensate, working her way towards the newest Chosen while occasionally glancing back to make sure Hikari was still with her.

Tailmon narrowed her eyes as she spied a Golemon lumbering towards V-mon, whip cracking at its side. She ignored the rest of the Child Digimon in her way, hopping across their heads to create a path towards the Adult – there was no way V-mon could take it on alone. Once close enough, she lunged for Golemon, fist outstretched. "Cat Punch!"

The Golemon staggered back from the blow. Although it was much larger than Tailmon, the force of her punches were far superior to its own strength thanks to her years of fighting and training. A second punch was all it took to shatter the stony Digimon's Evil Ring, causing the Golemon to crash to the ground in a dazed heap.

The skill of the Chosen Digimon made the battle rather one-sided. Even V-mon held his own despite how little experience he had, particularly when compared to Tailmon and Pegasmon. Unfortunately, the enemy had numbers on their side. For every one they freed, there was another waiting to fill the hole while a confused and frightened victim stood helplessly in-between, forcing the Chosen Digimon to work around them until the children could direct the freed Digimon towards relative safety. The fog of war made this a difficult task, as the Digimon just as often listened as they did panic and run blindly into further danger.

Slowly, the mob around the Dark Tower began to thin. Pegasmon reared up, turning his focus to the tower as his wings transformed, becoming slices of the night sky. The stars upon the black field of space beside him shot forward as he cried out his attack. "Shooting Star!" The words had barely left his lips when a plume of red gas forced him to evade back and upward, ruining his aim. His shot went wild, the small glittering stars flying in every direction. A few of the Digimon, controlled and not, were sent to the ground as they were struck in the fallout, but fortunately none were deleted. Bits of the Dark Tower rained down upon the Digimon, but there was no sign that it had suffered any significant damage.

Takeru cursed at the failed attack then glanced down at the Digimon. At least half of those still under the Digimon Kaiser's control were focusing their attacks on him and Pegasmon, forcing them to bob and weave in complicated patterns. His eyes darted about, seeking out his friends. Tailmon was having little trouble while V-mon seemed to be holding his own well enough. Hikari kept herself at just enough distance away from the fighting that it was unlikely she would be attacked, while Daisuke was cheering on V-mon a little too close to the combat for the Chosen of Hope's liking. "At least we got their attention again," he muttered.

Pegasmon grew troubled as the tactics of the attacking Digimon changed slightly. The Golemon were creating more and more clouds of red, trying to fill the air with their poison. "I've got to fly higher to avoid their gas, but you better get ready to hold your breath if any of it gets too close."

Takeru nodded as Pegasmon narrowly avoided a plume of crimson smoke. He pulled his shirt up over his face as he caught the pungent scent of sulfur before his partner's wings blew the smell away as they darted back from the cloud. There was no telling how dangerous the gas could be to a human, even outside the visible cloud, so it would be safest for him to avoid it completely. "Right."

Daisuke's panicked voice abrutply pierced the din of the battle. "V-mon, look out! Behind you!"

V-mon glanced back over his shoulder and yelped as he rolled to the side, barely avoiding a Golemon's fist as it slammed into the ground where he had been standing only a moment ago. A Gazimon cuffed the back of his head as he got back to his feet, the grazing blow barely more than a sting. He growled as he backhanded the Child Digimon before rushing at the Adult that tried to crush him. "Hopping Kick!"

Unfortunately, though V-mon's strength was enough to send a Gazimon tumbling, the Golemon's body was made of unyielding stone and its mask was made of metal. His attack did little more than hurt his foot as he slammed it against the Golemon's face. The impact reverberated through the small dragon's body, and he hopped back onto his good foot as he held his newly injured one. "Ow!"

Daisuke ran forward after witnessing his partner get hurt, his eyes widening as he saw the Golemon's fist rise upward. "Watch out!"

V-mon reacted with barely enough time to evade the blow. His body twisted in the air before he landed lightly on one foot, wobbling for a moment before he regained his balance. He blinked, briefly surprised by his luck, before he flashed a smug look in the Golemon's direction. "Hah!"

Daisuke paused after witnessing V-mon's display, taken aback nearly as much as his partner. He let out a loud whistle before he broke out into a round of riotous applause. "Nice move, V-mon! That was awesome!"

"Cat Punch!" Tailmon shouted as the sound of rock giving way resounded shortly to Daisuke's right. The feline Digimon struck a Golemon that had been readying an attack on the goggle boy, slamming its jaw shut before it could breathe its gas. The blow exposed it's neck to a second blow, shattering its Evil Ring before the large Adult was sent flying backwards into one of its fellows.

Tailmon landed lightly beside Daisuke, her expression severe. "Don't let your guard down!"

Daisuke nodded, still beaming. "I got it, I got it." He turned back towards his partner. "V-mon, be careful of that Digimon's punches!"

"Right!" V-mon said as he flashed Daisuke a confident grin. He yelped as an Elecmon suddenly rammed into his side, sending him tumbling.

Tailmon's ears flattened against her head, but she had no time to spare for conversation, as more Golemon gravitated towards their position.

V-mon got on his feet with a growl, the injury to his foot barely more than a dull throb now, one that was easily ignored when compared to his irritation. He dodged another attack from the Elecmon, only to watch in surprise as the other Digimon took a punch from a Golemon that was meant for him. "Hey!" He refocused his attention to the Golemon and hopped onto the Adult's fist as it began to rise for another attack. He ran along the Golemon's arm towards the rock Digimon's head, his own arm cocked back and ready for an attack of his own. "V-mon Punch!"

The Golemon's head jerked back slightly, its red eyes blinking, but otherwise the attack failed to do much of anything to it. The rock Digimon let out a dangerous hiss before red began to leak from its mouth. "Curse Crimson."

V-mon gasped as the Golemon expelled a large cloud of red gas in his face, inhaling enough sulfur to force him to cough. He jumped down and scrambled backward as he moved his arms in a rapid circular motion until they began to blur. "Boom, Boom Punch!"

"Alright, V-mon!" Daisuke shouted as he watched V-mon's spinning arms dissipate the gas harmlessly into the air. A moment later, he let out a startled cry as Tailmon leapt at him, snagging him by the midsection before scooping him up into a princess carry that was hopelessly awkward due to their drastic size difference. She took him back several meters, only to drop him unceremoniously next to Hikari, who was crouched beside an abandoned mining cart. He yelped when he landed on his tailbone. "H-hey! What's the big idea_?_!"

Tailmon spared the two children a harsh stare. "Stay here." She dashed off before either child could respond, returning to the battle without so much as a backward glance.

Daisuke pulled himself as he brushed off the seat of his pants. "What the heck was _that_ all about?"

Hikari tugged Daisuke's jacket, silently motioning for him to not stand any higher than the mining cart. It took him a moment to catch her meaning. "It's dangerous to stand so close to Digimon who are fighting – especially right now. Look."

Daisuke followed Hikari's pointing finger back towards the battlefield. "What? It's kind of hard to see from here… There's too much of that red smoke in the way."

"Exactly," Hikari said. "That's poison gas. Just look at what it's doing to the other Digimon." There was a catch in her voice as she directed Daisuke's gaze towards the Child Digimon still enslaved or scrambling desperately for freedom. Those who got too close to the increasing number gas clouds began to cough violently, many falling to the ground before they had a chance to escape to clearer air.

Daisuke grimaced. "Crap. How are we supposed to help them get out of there?"

Hikari's fingers curled into fists against the mining cart, her eyes never leaving the battlefield. "I don't know. We need to destroy all the Evil Rings, but there are just so many of them…"

Daisuke suddenly snapped his fingers. "Oh! I know! We've just got to take down the Dark Tower!"

The declaration startled Hikari enough to glance back at Daisuke. "What?"

"It's just like in a video game," Daisuke said, his voice excited. "Whenever a bad guy has his magical evil doohickeys lying around doing bad stuff, smashing them usually snaps everyone out of being his brainwashed lackeys and it also makes his fortresses collapse so the heroes can win!"

Hikari grimaced faintly. "But we don't know that the Dark Towers have anything to do with the Evil Rings."

Daisuke held up a finger. "But we don't know that they _don't_. For all we know, the Digimon Kaiser is ripping off the Evil Prince in Wonder Monster World Tamers and the Dark Towers are like the Evil Gems that brainwash all the good monsters to be evil and make them stronger than the good guys."

"Daisuke, this isn't a video game…," Hikari said. "The Digimon might be made from computer programs, but that doesn't mean–"

"I've also seen it work like that in anime and movies," Daisuke said. "And a lot of other stuff too!"

Hikari gave up on arguing with Daisuke, as she knew it would not really help matters at this point. She shook her head with a sigh. "I guess we'll find out if Takeru and Pegasmon can knock the tower down."

Daisuke nodded, his expression determined. "Right." He jumped up, pumping his fist into the air. "Go V-mon! Go Pegasmon! Get that Dark Tower!"

The Golemon that loomed over V-mon watched the dragon with a blank expression as V-mon dissipated its repeated gas attacks using rapid movements. The lumbering rock Digimon barely did more than blink when the smaller Digimon lunged at it once the air was clear. The blow to its chest would have hurt any of the Child level Digimon running around, but the Golemon felt nothing.

V-mon scrambled back when the Golemon took another swipe at him, his frustration mounting. He hated not being able to do much damage. Tailmon's punches were knocking down Golemon left and right, while his attacks were less effective than mosquito bites. Pegasmon was able to send multiple Digimon running at once with apparent ease, but he was scrambling to avoid the handful coming at him. It was abundantly clear that he was the weakest member of the team, but that was not his fault – the others were Adult while he was stuck as a puny Child. He needed to evolve. He needed to be stronger. He needed to protect Daisuke. He would _not_ let his partner be disappointed in him! "Damn it!"

"Cat Punch!" Tailmon shouted before the Golemon attacking V-mon was sent crashing into the ground from the force of her fist striking the back of its head. She stood atop the hulking rock beast's head and smashed its Evil Ring with her foot before she regarded V-mon. "Are you alright?"

V-mon hesitated, as a hot surge of jealousy made him not want to answer, but the impulse did not last long. His entire body slumped as he let out a quiet grumble. "Yes."

A loud crack vibrated through the air as Pegasmon's next attack impacted solidly with the Dark Tower. Large chunks fell from the midsection of the obelisk, splashing down onto the ground and Digimon still gathered around its base. The upper half of the Dark Tower slowly teetered back, the hard edges of the entire structure rounding out as it took on a strange glistening quality. The tower liquefied entirely before the top of it touched down, creating a flood of gray liquid that robbed the ground and Digimon of their color as it spread out in all directions.

Daisuke jumped up, pumping his fist into the air as he let out a loud whoop. "Alright! We won!"

The sight of the dark water rushing towards them invoked a different reaction in Hikari. Panic flooded through her, prompting her to scramble up into the mostly empty mining cart. "Get in! Hurry!"

The fear in Hikari's voice jarred Daisuke from his impromptu victory jig with a jerk. "What? Why?" When she tugged him by the shoulders in lieu of an answer, he did as he was told, climbing into the mining cart just as the foam from the dark water barely missed the bottom of his sneaker.

Hikari cringed back from the spray as the strange liquid crashed into the cart, the sound of the ocean filling her ears. She bit back the terror swelling in her chest and sought out Tailmon. The sight of her partner standing on a top of a pile of rocks in another mining cart not far away from them gave her some relief, especially since she noticed that Tailmon had carried V-mon away from the flood as well. However, the presence of the dark water kept her from relaxing, especially when she realized that the Digimon they were trying to free had been caught by the flood.

Tailmon let go of V-mon and surveyed their surroundings, a low noise of displeasure rumbling in the back of her throat. The Golemon were tall enough that the dark water had barely reached halfway up their bodies. The Child level Digimon were not so lucky, floundering about amidst the waves and coughing up liquid before the flood eventually died down. She watched them through narrowed eyes as they slowly recovered. The Digimon they had freed moved sluggishly, many moaning, their eyes haunted. Those who briefly slipped beneath the surface of the waves appeared to suffer worse than the ones that were too large for the flood to cover, or managed to reach higher ground in time. The brown rocks of the quarry had transformed to gray sand that slowly dissolved into flecks of data.

It was the Digimon still controlled by the Evil Rings that caught Tailmon's attention most of all. The control collars seemed to spark with an absence of light when the dark liquid touched them. The smaller Digimon managed to mysteriously keep their heads above water effortlessly despite the fact that they did not struggle to swim. It was as if it was impossible to submerge the Evil Rings beneath the surface of the dark water. As the flood receded, it became obvious that they were the only Digimon touched by the waves to not lose their colors. It allowed them to refocus their attention on the Chosen and resume their attacks with little delay.

Daisuke yelped and pulled Hikari down as a rock flew dangerously close towards them. "What the heck? Why are they still attacking us? We destroyed the Dark Tower!"

Hikari swallowed a hard lump in her throat and wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs. "W-we need to destroy the Evil Rings."

Daisuke muttered a curse before daring to peek over the lip of the mining cart. "Man… That Kaiser jerk doesn't play by the rules at all!"

V-mon cried out Daisuke's name in alarm as he realized one of the Digimon attacked his partner. His red eyes narrowed into slits as he quickly spotted the culprit – a Gotsumon who was readying another attack. With a cry, he leapt from the cart and charged towards his enemy. "I won't let you hurt Daisuke!"

Tailmon sighed as she watched the newest Chosen Digimon charge recklessly back into the fray. She glanced back at Hikari and considered making the attempt to evolve to Angewomon now that the Dark Tower was gone. Ultimately, she decided against it for now. The power she held in her Complete form was immense, and the gap between her and the Digimon here was already wide enough to give her concern. There was a serious risk that as Angewomon she would be unable to hold back on her attacks sufficiently to prevent any harm from coming to the Digimon. They had already whittled away approximately half of the enemy's numbers – they could take down the rest in the same way as well.

Takeru found it hard to pay attention to the battle as Pegasmon joined the others in destroying the Evil Rings. He had not expected the destruction of the Dark Tower to set all the Digimon free, even if a tiny part of him hoped that the Digimon Kaiser might have been so foolish as to make such a design flaw. What worried him more was the negative impact the destruction the Dark Tower had. The dark water had spread far enough to touch the entire quarry, including the inside of the mines. He spotted rocks eroding, which troubled him. He could not help but worry that the integrity of the mines had been compromised and as such were in danger of collapsing.

For a long moment, Takeru felt torn with indecision. While he noticed earlier that the controlled Digimon left the mine to attack him and Pegasmon, as well as protect the Dark Tower, that did not mean that the mines were completely empty. He glanced towards V-mon and Tailmon. The two appeared to be handling themselves alright, but…

An idea hit Takeru and he whipped out his D-Terminal to make an email. The other Chosen back at Koshiro's house could use the computer's search program to look through the mines faster than Pegasmon and he could, especially since his partner would be unable to fly in such close quarters. An affirmative response from his brother came less than a minute later. It, and a short message that Mimi's group were doing all right, with no Digimon Kaiser in sight, allowed him to feel relieved.

It meant that they were free to simply focus on finishing their task and wait for the Digimon Kaiser to appear.

* * *

><p>Tentomon let out a weary breath as he surveyed the area. Over a dozen somewhat dazed and worried Tsukaimon stood gathered around the Chosen with the same number of gray patches of barren ground pockmarked on the jungle floor. Save for the rustling of a faint wind through the high branches of the trees, there were no other signs of movement. "That seems to be the last of them, Koshiro."<p>

The location Jijimon had sent them to was a lush rainforest filled with green and colorful flowers. What set this jungle apart from one that could be found in the real world was the fact that it was nestled inside of an unusually shaped canyon. The walls stretched far higher than the trees, were made of clay and slate, its strangely flat surfaces adorned with strange looking fossils in a suspiciously repetitive pattern. When they first arrived, Tentomon had flown up above the tree line get a better look of the area, and discovered that the canyon was actually a gigantic labyrinth. Koshiro attempted to map out the maze with the help of Tentomon and the Chosen Children who remained back in the real world, when they were forced to defend themselves from a sudden ambush.

Sora knelt down beside one of the Tsukaimon and gave it a gentle smile. "You're okay now." She gave the Digimon a gentle pat on the head as tears of gratitude welled up in its eyes. "You're free."

"They must have been scouts," Tentomon said as he moved back to Koshiro's side. "Scoping out the rest of the canyon. We were just unlucky to run into them."

"Or lucky, for them," Shutumon said as she crossed her arms. "Now the Kaiser can't use them anymore."

Mimi giggled as she smiled at her partner. "You were amazing, Shutumon! You freed all of them so quickly."

Shutumon giggled as well before leaned back, a smile in her eyes as she placed her hands on her hips and let out a pleased hum.

Koshiro opened his laptop back up. A wave of relief washed over him as he saw that the jostling it took from one of the Tsukaimon's surprise attacks did not appear to damage it. "We'll have to be careful not to run into anymore. We can't risk any of them warning the Digimon Kaiser that we're in the area."

Sora watched the Tsukaimon move quickly in the direction the Chosen had first entered the jungle. It was good to see that they knew the area well enough that they could hopefully return home without trouble. "Let's go, then," she said softly before turning back towards the others. "We need to find that temple."

Mimi's smile faded and she sighed. "I didn't think we had to do so much walking again after our first adventure here. First that canyon, and now this maze."

Koshiro gave Mimi an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I'm sure I put the coordinates Jijimon wrote correctly. He must have been off on the location." He glanced at the email on his D-Terminal. "But at least Jou and the others finished figuring out the shortest path through the maze to get there, so we shouldn't be walking much longer."

Mimi let out a quiet sound that was nearly a moan. "I hope so."

The Chosen moved through the jungle with only the sound of the wind and Koshiro's directions. There were no chirping insects or birds, as one would expect to find in such an atmosphere. It was rather unnerving and made them tense despite themselves. They were still not used to how quiet the Digital World had become.

As they drew closer to the heart of the maze, they came across a dirt trail, which soon turned into an ancient stone road. It was ill kept but still usable, carving a path through the jungle that led them to a monstrous pyramid. The shape of the structure was similar to a Mayan temple, carved from white stone tinted green from moss. Though it looked worn by weather and overgrowth of the jungle's greenery, the intricate carvings lining each wall were easy to read and the steps leading to the top appeared pristine.

Mimi's mood brightened considerably at the sight of the temple. "This must be it! We finally found it!"

A rough but familiar voice instantly drew the attention of the Chosen away from the pyramid. "What the hell took ya so long?" The group spotted the speaker, Jijimon standing at the foot of one of the stairs. Despite the fact that they were unable to see his face due to his bushy hair, he still somehow managed to give the impression that he was giving them a disapproving glare.

Sora started at the sight of the elder Digimon. "Jijimon?" She half expected to see Centarumon, but the Adult Digimon was nowhere in sight.

Jijimon let out a harrumph that ended in a snort. "Took your dear sweet time, did you? Stopped to admire the scenic route?"

Mimi huffed as she marched towards Jijimon. "We would've been here sooner if you gave us the right directions."

"I gave you the right directions," Jijimon said. "Yer here, aren't ya?"

Mimi put her hands on her hips as she stared down Jijimon, who was a head size smaller than she was. "Only because we had to search all over for it! You gave us the wrong coordinates so we had no idea where this place really was. So don't complain that we took too long when you can't tell us how we're supposed to get here in the first place."

"Of course you had to search for it!" Jijimon said. "What the hell did ya expect?"

Koshiro frowned. "What do you mean? I thought the coordinates were to lead us to where the temple is located."

"They are," Jijimon replied. "Give or take a mile."

Sora's eyes widened with understanding. "You sent us the wrong coordinates on purpose!"

"What_?_!" Mimi stared at Sora briefly before she rounded on Jijimon. "Of all the mean… Why would you do something like that? I thought you were trying to help us _save_ the Digital World!"

Jijimon harrumphed again as he banged his staff against the stones. "Oh, cry me a river, Princess. You think all that walking ever did you any harm? You saved some Digimon and you found the place and I'll bet you lost a few pounds you've been packing onto that big pampered prissy fanny from sitting around back in that 'real' world of yours." He lightly tapped Mimi's hip with his staff for emphasis.

Mimi turned bright red as she let out a strangled squawk of indignation. "_Pervert!_" She took a swipe at Jijimon, reflexively attempting a slap, but he hopped out of reach with a laugh. She let out a noise of frustration as she stepped back towards Shutumon and crossed her arms over her chest.

Koshiro let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, we're here now. That's what counts, right? Let's just get the Digimentals."

Jijimon sobered up from his brief stint of humor, his tone and demeanor turning disapproving once again. "Hmph, you've got no room ta complain! The others didn't even have coordinates! They had to walk the whole damn world to find theirs!"

"The others?" Sora asked. "You mean Ryo and his friends?"

"That boy walked up hill both ways to get his Digimental!" Jijimon said. "So I don't wanna hear no complainin'!"

Mimi's pout dissolved into a curious stare. "You knew Ryo and his group?"

"What were they like?" Koshiro asked.

"Damn fine group," Jijimon said, then turned and started heading up the stairs to the top of the temple. "Too many girls, though."

Matching scowls appeared on Sora and Mimi's faces. "What's wrong with girls?" Sora asked with an edge to her voice.

Mimi made a sweeping gesture. "There's three girls right here in front of you, you know!"

"Bah, _girls_!" Jijimon whirled back towards the Chosen and swung his staff about. "Let me tell you about _girls_! Girls get all demanding, trying to change you! 'You snore too loud!' or 'Rub my feet!' or 'Why don't you take a bath once and a while?'! If that's how it's gonna be, then you better not show your face around me or…!" With that, the hairy Digimon began attacking the air with great enthusiasm.

Mimi stared at Jijimon, her expression blank for a moment before she blinked slowly. "Are you having trouble with your wife?"

Jigimon made a strange sound that was somewhere between a squawk and a snort. "I ain't havin' trouble with that wrinkled prune!" He aimed his staff at Mimi. "She's havin' trouble with _me_, and don't you forget it!" He slammed his staff against the step, hard enough to chip off a bit of the stone and create a web of cracks. His head tilted downward, giving the Chosen the impression that he was glaring at the damage he did before he let out a huff and stormed up the stairs. "Get your damn Digmentals and get out!"

Shutumon looked at Mimi and arched an eyebrow. "Sounds like trouble to me."

Mimi nodded. "Must be why he's so _rude_ all the time."

"Or it could be because of what's going on with the Digimon Kaiser," Sora muttered, her voice too quiet for the others to hear.

The Chosen and their Digimon followed Jijimon to the top of the pyramid where large, curving gateways adorned with curving vines welcomed them into the temple. The place was well lit thanks to the large, open doorways and the large hole in the high ceiling. Bits of broken glass along the edges of the stone, as well as colorful shards barely hidden by the blanket of vines and leaves that covered the floor, hinted that at one time there had been a stained glass window in the ceiling. Jijimon was completely unfazed by the crunch of bits of glass beneath his large bare feet, but the Chosen Children were careful to step around the shards, just in case the glass cut through their shoes.

The countless vines seemed to converge at the center of the temple, coiling around the base of two altars without touching the top where a pair of colorfully adorned Digimentals rested. The red egg was impossibly balanced on its point, and decorated in vibrant orange and yellow flames that hugged the top and bottom, parting around the point of a curved, gleaming sword jutting out above the Crest of Courage. The other egg was more oblong shaped, black and white with a row of yellow markings that looked like teeth, and blade shaped like a lightning bolt placed in front of Crest of Friendship marked in blue.

Sora was the first to reach the altars. "It's Taichi's," she said in a hushed voice. "And Yamato's."

Koshiro grinned. "Great! Those two will be thrilled."

Sora picked up the Digimental of Courage, her touch light. She was not surprised by the weight after handling her own Digimental, so instead she focused on its other features. "It's so warm…"

Mimi took the Digimental of Friendship and let out a tiny yelp.

Koshiro turned quickly to Mimi. "What's wrong?"

"It tingles!" Mimi said before she examined the Digimental of Friendship from all angles. "It's like… it reminds me of when my class went to the museum on a school fieldtrip a year ago and we all took turns touching this weird dark ball filled with purple lightning that made our hair stand up." She paused to feel her head as her eyes darted anxiously to the others. "It's not making my hair all frizzy, is it?"

Sora stifled a giggle behind her hand. "No, you're fine."

Mimi sighed in relief. "Thank goodness." She returned her focus to the Digimental. "It really _does_ feel like it doesn't weigh anything." She looked towards Jijimon. "I'm not going to break it if I drop it, am I?"

"Nope," Jijimon said. "But you might stab yer foot with that blade on the front." He gestured towards Mimi's legs with his staff. "That any better?"

Mimi jumped in fright, causing the Digimental of Friendship to slip. She yelped and scrambled to get a better grip on it so that she would not accidentally drop it as Jijimon predicted. Once she reaffirmed her hold, she let out a shaky breath before shooting the elderly Digimon a glare. "Don't scare me like that!"

The chime of the D-Terminals interrupted the conversation, drawing the attention of the children towards their pockets. "I'll get that," Koshiro said, as the girls' hands were currently full. He grinned when he saw the sender of the email. "It's from Hikari!"

Tentomon hovered over his partner's shoulder so that he could read the email as well. "Tailmon and the others have freed the rock quarry and all the Digimon there. That's great news, Koshiro!"

"Yeah," Koshiro said with a nod, though he found himself growing troubled. "Though it's strange that the Digimon Kaiser hasn't shown up yet…"

"Maybe he hasn't realized we're here," Tentomon said. "He might go after them now when they attack the supply depot the rocks were being sent to next."

Sora shifted her focus between Koshiro and the Digimental of Courage. "Did it mention how Daisuke's doing?"

Koshiro smiled despite his concerns. "It sounds like they're all doing well, including Daisuke."

"That's a relief," Mimi said. "I was a bit worried since he doesn't have a Digimental like Takeru, and V-mon isn't an adult like Tailmon."

Sora let out a quiet hum as she contemplated the Digimental in her hands. "Things are going to get worse before they get better," she muttered. "He's the weakest at the moment, and if the Kaiser really does have it out for him specifically…"

"Should we join up with them?" Shutumon asked. "Or go to the next temple?"

Jijimon hopped up onto one of the vacant altars and began to pick his ear with his pinky. "You can get the hell out, that's what you can do."

Koshiro felt a bit uncomfortable due to Jijimon's attitude towards them. "Could you please tell us where the next temple is, Jijimon?"

"I reckon," Jijimon said. He raised his staff and spun it in a small circle before pointing it at Koshiro. At that moment, there was a familiar beeping from the Chosen of Knowledge's D-Terminal.

Koshiro jumped at the sudden beep then opened up the new email he received. For a moment, he could only stare in amazement that Jijimon had somehow written up and sent him an email without the need for a keyboard. He wanted to ask how it was possible, but he suspected he would get no answer from the gruff Digimon. "Th-thank you so much!"

Mimi looked over at her friends. "So what now? Do we go for more Digimentals or should we email Hikari and the others and tell them to come home now?"

Koshiro briefly stroked his chin as he considered the question. "I'd feel more comfortable if we used my computer to locate the coordinates before we go there. We don't know if the Digimon Kaiser has taken it over yet." He glanced back at Jijimon. "Has he?"

Jijimon flicked away a gob of earwax. "Better question is what parts of this world _aren't_ decorated with those giant black tombstones of his."

Sora frowned as she turned the Digimental of Courage over in her hands. A beep from her hip drew her attention to her D-Terminal, which she opened up to find an email from Taichi. He had quoted the email she sent to him in the Digital World after he had knocked on her Digimental of Love. He bolded the part where she chastised him for potentially damaging her egg and how important it was, then added a short message at the bottom.

Just a reminder of something a certain someone told me in case you were considering a little payback. ;)

Sora's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink before she muttered under her breath. "Ha, ha, very funny."

Mimi turned to Sora with a curious hum. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Sora said quickly before putting the D-Terminal away. "Taichi was just repeating something I said to him the other day." She looked upward where she imagined the computer screen might have been located back in Koshiro's room and stuck out her tongue.

Jijimon inclined his head towards Sora. "Making fun of the architecture now or you planning on licking the walls?"

Sora turned a darker shade of pink. "Er, uh, no. It's nothing, nevermind!"

"The others back in the real world are watching us on my computer," Koshiro said. "Sora was just, uh… guessing where the camera probably is aimed right now. I think?" He glanced at Sora who nodded, still embarrassed.

Jijimon let out a low noise at the back of his throat as he dug into his ear again. "Bah! No good's gonna come of somethin' like that. Seems to me that's just askin' for a whole lotta grief and crap."

Mimi blinked. "Grief?"

"Watchin' the battle from far off ain't any better than bein' there," Jijimon. "'Cept your butt's not on the line."

Sora raised the Digimental of Courage into the air, aiming her Digivice towards it "Digimental Up!"

Without Piyomon around, all the Digimental of Courage did was glow and disappear into her Digivice, forming the image of an egg on her screen. Sora typed away at the buttons of her Digivice, just as she had done when she sent her Digimental to Mimi the other day. Thinking of Daisuke, she triggered the command to send the Digimental to their newest member, hoping that her idea would work and that they did not need to be in the same room to pass their Digimentals around. There was a brief spark of red on her screen before the Digimental disappeared without a trace. She smiled faintly, feeling certain that she succeeded. "There. Now Taichi can protect him."

Mimi blinked and cast a curious look Sora's way. "What do you mean?"

Sora smiled. "I sent Daisuke Taichi's Digimental."

Koshiro's eyes lit up. "Wait, you mean we can send the Digimentals to anyone no matter where they are?" The possibilities brought a smile to his face. "Brilliant! This will be invaluable whenever we have to split up our group."

Mimi hummed as she looked over the Digimental of Friendship. "Digimental Up!" Her words hung in the air for a moment, but nothing happened. "Huh?"

Koshiro cast a thoughtful look in Mimi's direction. "That's strange. Maybe you can't put the Digimental in your Digivice when you're currently using one."

"I'm already evolved," Shutumon said. "Do you want me to de-evolve and try it then?"

Mimi shook her head and smiled at her partner. "Not right now, Shutumon, but let's see what this Digimental changes you into later, okay?"

Koshiro accepted the Digimental of Friendship from Mimi then smiled at Tentomon. "I guess it's our turn to try a Digimental, Tentomon."

"Alright, Koshiro," Tentomon said. "I'm ready whenever you are."

Koshiro grinned and raised both Digivice and Digimental into the air. "Digimental Up!"

The Digimental of Friendship disappeared into Koshiro's Digivice moments before a beam of light shot out from its screen to envelope Tentomon in something not unlike a cocoon. "Tentomon, Armor Evolve!" The light sparkled like electricity in a sphere-like shape, but it did not grow in size. With a violent flash, blue lightning struck outward and danced in the air at no more than a meter in length. The glow around the Digimon's body faded, revealing a silvery insect body with sizable pincers framing a massive blade not unlike the sharp edge that jutted from the Digimental of Friendship. At the center of the unusual insect's back was a lone red eye, that looked like a jewel. Despite all logic, he hung in the air, with lightning dancing at his sides. "Blade Kuwagamon!"

Koshiro stared in awe at the unusual evolution his partner had undertaken. "Blade Kuwagamon… You look just like a sword!"

Sora stared at Blade Kuwagamon, her eyes wide. "Wow…"

"Awesome!" Mimi said.

"Now I can help protect us," Blade Kuwagamon said. "We can go to the next temple without fear."

Koshiro nodded, his smile stretching from ear to ear. "Right."


	11. Chapter 10

The whistle of a Trailmon cut through the air over the sound of countless slaves going about their work inside among countless buildings that could only be the supply depot for the area. The train-like Digimon spat steam into the air that sparked red near its source, which nearly matched the glow of its eyes. There were more like of its kind lined up along nearly a dozen set of tracks leading off into countless directions, each lugging numerous train cars that the smaller Digimon filled with not just minerals from the quarry, but other goods such as fish and coral from the nearby port.

The supply depot was larger than the Chosen anticipated it to be, appearing more like a small city rather than a hub for storing and transporting raw materials. Numerous small tracks for the carts from the quarry led to a sizable unmarked building with an interior too dark to make out from the small crop of trees the group used as a hiding place. The buildings all blended together in bland uniformity, differing slightly in structure, but without anything to label them or add any sort of decoration. The only three places in this area stood out in particular – the train station, a port just to the east of the station, and another Dark Tower that had been placed at the very heart of the buildings.

The port was a short distance away from the train station, leading to the ocean. Numerous boats and marine Digimon worked to fish and gather resources from the sea. They docked supply ships to fill or unload their vast cargo holds. The boats were not alive like the Trailmon, but often the blasts of their horns echoed that of the Trailmon, possibly in some sort of unspoken code. The Trailmon and ships were constantly coming in and out, lingering only long enough to pass along their cargo to places unknown.

All this activity made it tricky for the Chosen to remain undetected, to say nothing of any plans to free so many enslaved Digimon. Much of the surrounding landscape had been cleared away, the ground flat with large patches of short grass broken up by only the occasional tree or bush. Reaching the supply depot from their hiding place meant crossing at least fifteen meters of open space.

"This is… unbelievable," Takeru whispered. He sat crouched between a bush and a large tree, peering carefully between leaves and branches. He squinted his blue eyes, seeking out any sign of the Digimon Kaiser. The way the supply depot was arranged felt far too sophisticated for his liking.

Hikari knelt by Takeru's side with Daisuke half-crouched opposite the Chosen of Hope. The sheer number of controlled Digimon was unpleasant and daunting; the sheer scale of the operation was almost overwhelming. The only good thing she could think of it was that at least there was no one getting whipped… or at least, not that they could see from their hiding place. "Just how much of the Digital World is under his control?"

"A sizeable amount, I'd guess," Takeru said, a tightness underlining his soft voice. "If not most of it."

Daisuke let out a quiet snort. While he did not have any expectations of what they would find when they followed the tracks from the quarry, what he saw was not terribly shocking compared to the things he had seen from the Digimon Kaiser already. In fact, he might have been more surprised if the tyrant had not created some sort of grandiose set up like this. After all, he saw bad guys create evil operations like this all the time on television. "Whatever. We'll smash the Dark Tower here too and the next one, and the one after that, and the one after that too!"

"Yeah!" V-mon said, barely managing to keep his voice down to his anxiousness. "It doesn't matter how much he controls, 'cuz we'll free it all!"

Daisuke leaned back and turned to Takeru. "Okay, so what's the plan this time? Same as before?"

Takeru paused to consider the situation. If he was being honest with himself, the number of enemies at the quarry had been vastly superior to theirs and they should have left their plan as a mere distraction for the Digimon Kaiser. However, the scale of the atrocities committed by the Digimon Kaiser had been too much for the Chosen to accept and not one of them considered pulling back until they freed every single Digimon there. They had gotten lucky. On their side, they had one Adult, one Armor, and one Child Digimon, while there were many Adult level enemies. If the Evil Rings allowed the slaves more freedom to think for themselves, or if the Digimon Kaiser _had_ shown up, things would likely not have gone so well.

The supply depot was larger than the quarry by far, and a casual glance made it obvious that there were many more Digimon to fight them. There was also a very real and very frightening possibility that not even Perfect or Ultimate Digimon were immune to the Evil Rings. Just because the Chosen had not come across any so far did not mean that they were not under the Digimon Kaiser's control.

Takeru looked over the Chosen Digimon. Patamon was back in Child form and seemed ready and able to evolve again at a moment's notice. Tailmon appeared fine, but she was an expert at hiding signs of weakness. V-mon was the only one who showed fatigue, but the fire in his eyes told the Chosen of Hope that the small dragon was not ready to quit yet. The three of them had used quite a bit of energy already. As much as Takeru hated to consider it, perhaps a strategic withdrawal was in order. However, just as he opened his mouth to say so, a familiar beep interrupted him.

Daisuke jumped when he realized that the noise came from his D-Terminal. His efforts to answer it were awkward, as he fumbled a bit due to being unused to using gloves or a computer. Fortunately, Hikari helpfully guided him through the interface so that he could read the email. "Hey, it's from Sora." His eyes widened drastically. "What, seriously?!" He scrambled to fish out his Digivice, dropping his D-Terminal in his haste. Fortunately, Hikari was quick and close enough to grab the miniature computer before it hit the ground.

Takeru felt unsure if he should be alarmed by Daisuke's reaction. "What did it say?"

Hikari glanced at the email before she had to stifle a giggle behind her hand.

"I got Senpai's Digimental!" Daisuke shouted. A broad grin split his face as he looked at his Digivice before he held the screen in front of Takeru's face. "Look! Look! Now V-mon can evolve too, and with _Senpai_'_s_ Digimental!"

"Sora just sent it over," Hikari said as she closed Daisuke's D-Terminal.

Takeru blinked, but his surprise lasted for only a moment before he smiled as well. "That's great, Daisuke."

Daisuke turned to V-mon to show his partner his Digivice as well. "Look, V-mon! Now we can evolve you into an awesome Armor mode!"

V-mon caught Daisuke's infectious excitement and beamed at his Chosen Child. "Great! I'll be able to help!"

A terrible rumbling tore through the air, building into a roar that nearly deafened the Chosen. The sound came from all around the Chosen, forcing them to cover their ears even as they scrambled to their feet. Strong arms that ended in claws tore away the trees that had kept the group hidden, splitting the trunks in half or outright ripping the trees out of the ground by the roots. A small army of Tyranomon surrounded them, each wearing an Evil Ring around their neck.

"Spotted!" Takeru shouted as he whipped out his Digivice. "Patamon!"

Patamon nodded, and moments later, he transformed once more into Pegasmon. He leapt into the air and spread his wings to unleash a hail of stars towards the enemy Digimon. "Shooting Star!"

The attack fanned out in a wide arc, sending a number of Tyranomon stumbling as they literally had stars in their eyes. Tailmon charged forward to punch one of the red dinosaurs in the stomach while it was still off balance, knocking it down. She jumped up to kick the companion to its right in the head then used the Tyranomon as a springboard to take down a third. Once she landed, she barely spared a moment to glance back at the Chosen and pointed at the opening she created. "This way!"

Hikari did not hesitate to do what her partner said to escape the dangerous pincer attack, Takeru following hot on her heels.

"Daisuke!" V-mon said, clenching his fists.

Daisuke caught the gist instantly and nodded to his partner. "Right." He held his Digivice high. "Digimental Up!"

Light engulfed V-mon, gently wrapping itself around him like a cocoon. It increased in size slowly as its glow increased and decreased in a regular pulsing rhythm. Abruptly, the cocoon burst into flames, revealing the new Armor Digimon that the Digimental of Courage created. The Digimon V-mon had become was almost two head sizes taller than Daisuke, but many of his features remained, though more mature looking. Red armor decorated with vibrant orange and yellow flames protected his sleek body. A sharp blade the size of a sword protruded from the forehead of his helmet like a horn and metal claws each the size of butcher knives replaced his fingers and goes. "Fladramon!"

For a long moment, Daisuke forgot where they were and the danger they were in, particularly since he was still surrounded by multiple Tyranomon. His attention was completely on Fladramon and the awe he felt towards his partner's transformation. Slowly, his body began to tremble, as excitement completely swept him away. "Alright! You look _awesome_ V-mon, er, Fladramon!"

Fladramon grinned, showing off his new sharp teeth. When he pumped his fist into the air, flames swirled around it, engulfing his entire arm. He lunged at the Tyranomon that dared to approach Daisuke while his partner was distracted, slamming his flaming fist into the dinosaur's face. "Knuckle Fire!"

"Daisuke!" Hikari shouted when she realized the other Chosen Child had not followed. "Come on! Hurry!"

Daisuke jerked his head up at the sound of alarm in Hikari's voice and noticed that more Tyranomon, dozens of them were coming from the supply depot, threatening to cut him off from his friends. He shouted her name as he ran towards her, only to stop short as a Tyranomon lashed out at him.

"Fire Rocket!" An aura of fire surrounded Fladramon as he launched himself at the Tyranomon that went after Daisuke, knocking his opponent back into two of its companions. He looked back at Daisuke once he landed, smiling. "Don't worry, Daisuke. I'll protect you."

Briefly, Daisuke marveled at how _adult_ his partner sounded, and how much more like a superhero V-mon had become when transforming into Fladramon. He quickly shook himself out of his thoughts and flashed his partner a smile and a thumbs up as he raced after the other Chosen. "Thanks, V… Fladramon! You're amazing!"

Fladramon let out a pleased chuckle before launching another attack.

The Chosen Digimon forced the Tyranomon back, allowing Daisuke to catch up with Hikari and Takeru as they fled in the opposite direction of the supply depot. Unfortunately, for every Tyranomon they knocked down, two more arrived to attack, with more coming. Whenever the Chosen Digimon managed to break one of the Evil Rings, other Tyranomon who were still under the Digimon Kaiser's control seized them immediately, and dragged them back to the supply depot.

Takeru glanced over his shoulder, grimacing as he watched a Tyranomon scream and struggle to free itself. A part of him raged, screaming at him to go back and save them, all of the Digimon, but he knew that they were hopelessly outmatched. The knowledge was like bile in his mouth, making his words sour when he spoke. "We need to put some distance between us."

A strange sound carried over the noise of battle, an electronic or mechanical series of tones that nearly sounded like a melody. The air seemed to ripple around them, creating a strange sensation that passed through the Chosen's bodies. Abruptly, clothes the Chosen Children wore distorted, as though the data that created them was consumed by a massive glitch, covering their bodies in strangely colored bulky blocks that blurred at the jagged edges. A second later, the strange phenomenon disappeared, leaving them wearing the strange outfits that replaced their normal clothes – the off-white dress for Hikari, Takeru's black leather clothes, and Daisuke's flaming bomber ensemble.

For a moment, the Chosen Children could only gawk at themselves, completely taken aback. Daisuke was the first person who managed to speak. "Alright!" He tugged at his jacket. "I've got my awesome clothes back!" He paused briefly, reaching up to find, much to his surprise, that the goggles Hikari gave him had not returned, but instead the pair he received from Taichi remained resting atop his head.

Hikari looked down at herself then her companions, unnerved by the sudden transformation. "What just happened?"

Neither Takeru nor Daisuke had time to answer, as an unpleasantly familiar condescending voice spoke first.

"My, my, what do we have here? Rats, scurrying under my feet?"

The Chosen whirled about to stare as a Dark Tyranomon loomed over them. Not only did it appear without warning, but also none other than the Digimon Kaiser stood on its head, sneering down at him. The caped boy cocked his head back, his arms folded over his chest, as a wicked smirk played across his face that oozed with arrogance.

Daisuke jerked and scrambled back a few steps from the giant black dinosaur Digimon, which stood far too close for their comfort. "You!_?_" Despite his shock, he recovered quickly enough to grit his teeth and glare at the Digimon Kaiser as he thrust a finger towards the tyrant. "We're ready for you this time, Tiny Tower!"

The Digimon Kaiser's cheek twitched, curling his mouth faintly upward almost in a sneer. "_Digimon. Kaiser_." His expression smoothed out as his smug air returned. "But I'm not surprised you can't even remember something as simple as _two words_ if you think _running_ from me is the same as being 'ready.'"

An angry flush came to Daisuke's cheeks as he clenched his fists. "Who's running?" He performed a mock punch in the Digimon Kaiser's direction. "We're just falling back to a better position to kick your butt!"

"Falling on your backsides, you mean," the Digimon Kaiser said, condescension dripping from every word. "Why don't you go home, before I order my Tyranomon not to miss this time?"

The glare Takeru gave the Digimon Kaiser could burn through steel. "If you think we're going to let you do whatever you like, you're out of your mind!"

The memory of the injustices they saw at the quarry was still fresh in Hikari's mind, made even more vivid by the Digimon Kaiser's presence. "Why are you doing all this? Why are you enslaving all the Digimon in the Digital World?" Her eyes burned with the promise of tears that she forced back. "Why are you _hurting_ them like this?"

The Digimon Kaiser's eyes passed over Hikari, settling instead on Takeru. "_Let_ me?" He paused to chuckle. "You think you can stop me, just because you broke a couple Dark Towers and let a few of my slaves run screaming into the night? Just how _difficult_ do you think it was for me to capture them in the first place?"

Daisuke snorted. "Harder than it was for us to set them free, I'll bet! They're gonna be even harder to find now."

The Digimon Kaiser's smile widened faintly as he raised his black Digivice into the air. "As for the Dark Towers…"

The ambient light from the sky disappeared where it touched the Dark Digivice, as the shadows itself seemed to pour out from the screen, nearly surrounding the Digimon Kaiser. He directed the darkness at a point off in the distance, which the Chosen Children could not help but follow with their eyes. The darkness struck the top of an empty hill before surging upwards with the roar of a tsunami, expanding and growing until it solidified into the shape of a Dark Tower. For a brief moment, strange circular characters appeared on the surface, illuminated by the glow of a color that the children could not readily identify, but it disappeared before they could make out anything.

The Digimon Kaiser's amusement grew as he took in the shocked expressions on the Chosen Children's faces. "They're even _easier_ to replace."

The sound of water made Hikari shudder deep down at her very core. Something about witnessing the creation of the Dark Tower terrified her enough that she was unable to suppress tremors that ran through her body. It was difficult for her to look away from the source of her strange fear, but somehow she managed to turn her gaze towards the Digimon Kaiser. "_Why?_ Why are you doing this_?_! You're one of us!"

The Digimon Kaiser did not so much as glance Hikari's way.

Daisuke felt his ire grow, but he bit back the insult that hovered at the tip of his tongue, as he noticed how distressed Hikari was. "Jerks like him don't _need_ a reason, Hikari-chan. I'll bet just some bully who's too weak to pick on anyone in the real world."

The crack of the Digimon Kaiser's whip cut off anything else the Chosen intended to say. "Enough!" His smile became more teeth than lip. "If you want to play, then so be it." He snapped his fingers, which invoked a terrible roar from the Dark Tyranomon, which was answered by the army of Tyranomon, creating a monstrous chorus so loud that it hurt the Chosen to hear it.

Tailmon's ears flattened from both the noise and her anger. She growled as her tail lashed behind her as sharp as a whip a second before she lunged forward, slamming her fist into the chest of the nearest Tyranomon and sending it flying in to the ones assembled behind it. "Cat Punch!"

"Knuckle Fire!" Fladramon followed the cat Digimon's lead, ramming his fist in to the Tyranomon's chin and causing it to fall backwards like a toppling tree.

Pegasmon spread his wings and rained stars down upon a pair of nearby Tyranomon, knocking them back. "Shooting Star!"

Daisuke pumped his fists above his head and let out a mighty whoop. "Yeah, Fladramon! Kick their butts!" He jumped up with another cheer as he watched his partner knock down another Tyranomon.

However, Daisuke's celebrating was cut short as the nearly deafening snap of leather beside his left ear made him jerk back instinctively. He registered the sharp pain that drew a line across the edge of his ear a moment later as he stumbled back to keep himself from falling from his awkward landing. "What the heck_?_!" He covered his sore ear with both hands and quickly caught sight of the Digimon Kaiser's smirking face. The Dark Tyranomon loomed dangerously close to Daisuke, head bowed so that he and the young tyrant stood barely a meter apart from one another.

"Now then…," the Digimon Kaiser said, drawing the words out in a near purr. "I believe we have unfinished business."

Daisuke refused to be intimidated and lowered his hands, curling them into fists as he shifted into a defensive posture. "You wanna take me on? Fine! Get down here and ditch the whip and let's see what you got!"

The Digimon Kaiser twirled his whip leisurely as he smirked down at Daisuke. "I assure you, even if I disposed of the whip, it would not be enough of a handicap to save you."

Daisuke scoffed and swiped his thumb across his nose as he flashed a cocky grin. "Hah! Yeah right! Without your stupid whip or all your mind controlled puppets, I'll bet you can't even touch me."

The Digimon Kaiser stopped spinning his whip and held it tight between his hands. "As if I'd want to touch you. Even with my gloves, I'd have to wash my hands."

Daisuke barked out a laugh. "The great Digimon Kaiser can't even stand to get his hands dirty? I knew it!"

"Daisuke!" Hikari shouted when she noticed Daisuke conversing with the Digimon Kaiser. "Don't provoke him!" She tried to run over to her friend, but sometime during the battle, the Tyranomon had moved in to cut her and Takeru off from Daisuke.

Daisuke spared a brief glance in Hikari's direction. For a moment, the sight of the Tyranomon separating them made his pulse quicken with fear. However, he managed to recover quickly when he noticed that Fladramon was still fighting close by. He knew that with his partner by his side, the Tyranomon would never touch him. "Don't worry, Hikari-chan! Tiny Tower is nothing but hot air if you get him on his own without his stupid whip. I'm not scared of _him_."

The Digimon Kaiser pulled his whip tight enough to make the leather creak with strain. "Be quiet, _insect_, or I'll _teach_ you fear."

Daisuke flapped his fingers in an exaggerated pantomime of talking. "Blah, blah, blah. All I hear is some whining and big talk, but no _action_." He paused to lean forward slightly, leering at the Digimon Kaiser. "What are you, _scared?_"

The sharp snap of the whip punctuated the Digimon Kaiser's answer as he lashed out at Daisuke. The goggle boy was ready for the attack this time and jumped backwards. Instead of lashing his leg, the tip of the whip tore into the earth where the Chosen Child once stood, leaving a scar behind in the ground. "Silence, you… _insect_!"

In spite of the near miss, Daisuke failed to feel intimidated. "What's wrong? Can't hit a moving target?" He snorted as he took a deliberate step backward. "Can't reach me now, can you? So why don't you drop the whip and fight me fa–"

"_Knuckle Fire!_" The attack came quickly, from behind the distracted Digimon Kaiser. Fladramon dove past the other Tyranomon, bounding up the Dark Tyranomon's back before striking at his skull – _inches_ away from the Digimon Kaiser. The Digimon Kaiser jerked back with a yelp, leaping back to avoid the biting flames. Unfortunately, there was nothing but air to greet him. With a startled cry, the tyrant fell to the ground from his lofty perch as the Dark Tyranomon howled in pain.

The Digimon Kaiser recovered quickly enough, flipping about so that he landed on his feet when he hit the ground, kicking up dirt upon impact. The human child wobbled slightly before he fell backwards on to his rump, sprawled on the ground. He was silent, save for his harsh breath as he stared up at Fladramon as the armored Digimon continued his attack on the Dark Tyranomon.

The sudden attack caught even Daisuke by surprise, but he recovered quickly as he saw the Digimon Kaiser sprawl to the ground without anything resembling grace. He burst out laughing and pointed at the fallen dictator. "Oh man, Fladramon got you good! You should see the look on your face!"

The Digimon Kaiser did not reply as he stared at Fladramon, watching the Digimon flip away from his opponent and land near Daisuke. The tyrant trembled slightly, curling his fingers so that his fingertips clawed at the ground. "Get… out…"

Daisuke's smile broadened and he made an exaggerated gesture of cupping his ear as he leaned towards the Digimon Kaiser. "Eh? What's that? You give up? You're scared you're gonna lose because you just saw how more awesome Fladramon is than all the Digimon you've captured?"

The Digimon Kaiser's jaw clenched, gritting his teeth until they hurt. "Get… _out_."

Daisuke leaned back with his hands on his hips. "Sure. Just as soon as you let all these Digimon go and tear down all those towers and factories and stuff." He paused for a moment. "Oh, and you should probably change too. Those clothes are stupid looking, even for an evil king from another world."

The Digimon Kaiser's entire body went rigid before he whirled to glare at Daisuke. Even with his glasses, his expression was one of absolute fury. He leapt to his feet as he pulled out his black Digivice, aiming it directly at Daisuke. "_Get _–_ out!_"

Daisuke barely had time to blink before a bolt of darkness shot out from the screen and struck him in the chest. A moment later, he was gone.

"_Daisuke!_" Fladramon's agonized cry tore through the battlefield, but not much else was able to escape him before the Digimon Kaiser whipped about to unleash the darkness upon him as well. In an instant, the armored Digimon vanished from the Digital World.

"Out, out, _out!_" the Digimon Kaiser shrieked, his voice rough to the point that it nearly cracked with a wavering pitch. He flashed his Digivice about, aiming it in all directions he thought a Chosen might have been, as if he were swatting at flies. "_Get out of my Digital World!_"

Streaks of darkness went wild in all directions. As it struck the Tyranomon, for a moment their bodies lost their light completely before a strange glint of an eerie light came from where the Evil Rings rested around their necks. An instant later, the darkness disappeared, leaving them completely untouched by the blind attack.

Takeru ran in the opposite direction of the Digimon Kaiser, fighting back his instinct to join up with Hikari to protect her. The best thing they could do was separate, to give them both a fighting chance to escape. "Pegasmon–"

The command Takeru had prepared for his partner died on his lips as he watched the darkness consume Pegasmon. His legs slowed, suddenly filled with lead. The sight brought him back to a horrible memory and suddenly he was eight years old again, on the mountaintop. Darkness surrounded him, save for a single brilliant pillar of light. Within that light was Angemon, smiling at him and reassuring him, even as his partner slowly dissolved and disappeared in to the darkness.

The Chosen of Hope barely noticed when the darkness took him as well.

"Hikari!" Tailmon raced towards her Chosen, maneuvering around the grasping arms of the confused Tyranomon with impressive nimbleness. "Get out of the way–" Despite her great speed and agility, not even she could avoid the darkness when it caught her and took her away in an instant.

Hikari froze when she saw Tailmon disappear. Her heart lurched from watching her friends vanish one by one, yet despite her partner's last words to her, she stopped running and drew out her Digivice. She was alone in the Digital World, surrounded by the strong Digimon that no longer acted of their own volition, without any of her friends to help her. Even if she could somehow manage to escape, she knew there was nothing she could do. The battle was lost. "Digital Gate Open!"

Light took Hikari away from the Digital World only an instant before the darkness would have reached her.

* * *

><p>The return to the real world had been as rough as the first time the Digimon Kaiser ejected the Chosen Children from the Digital World. Those gathered around the computer had been ill prepared for it, which resulted in Daisuke crashing into both Taichi and Yamato when he appeared. The three had barely started to stand when Chibimon collided with the back of Daisuke's head, sending the children back to the floor. Fortunately, because the group who had gone after the Digimentals had returned only a few minutes prior, they managed to drag the fallen boys out of the way before Patamon tumbled gracelessly from the computer screen, closely followed by Takeru then Tailmon. Hikari was the only one who came back standing on her own two feet.<p>

Daisuke grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head where Chibimon hit it. "That stupid Kaiser…" He clenched his fist tightly while glaring at the computer screen. "He did it to us again!"

Koshiro helped Daisuke stand, though he kept his eyes on the visual feed from the supply depot. "I guess we should've expected him to try this again. I was hoping that he at least couldn't do it to those of us with the new Digivices, but…" His words tapered off as he looked towards Takeru.

Takeru remained on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. His face was pale, his eyes unseeing. He did not even seem to register that Koshiro had spoken to him. It took him a long moment to realize where he was and that everyone was looking his way with varying amounts of concern. He blinked and quickly shook his head before he turned to smile sheepishly at Koshiro. "What? I missed that."

"Takeru?" Yamato was by his brother's side in an instant. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Takeru muttered. He hesitated before accepting his brother's hand, who pulled the Chosen of Hope to his feet. "I'm fine."

Patamon hovered beside Takeru's head. "I'm sorry, Takeru. If I had remembered let you ride me after I evolved, I could've gotten us out of there instead of getting caught trying to reach you."

Koshiro looked from Patamon to Chibimon before rubbing his chin, brows furrowed. "Hmm… It's just like what happened with Palmon and Tentomon. Even when they were evolved into their armor modes, coming back here undid their evolution. It's just like when V-mon changes back into Chibimon…"

"I was Fladramon, but now I'm not," Chibimon said, with a slight sulk in his voice as he crossed his arms.

Daisuke smiled as he picked up Chibimon. "Hey, cheer up! If you were Fladramon when you got set back you would've been too big when you fell on top of me." His grin widened. "Besides, you were _so cool_! You were punching out those t-rexes left and right and you probably made Tiny Tower wet his pants!" He felt pleased as he was rewarded by a cheerful laugh from his partner.

Hikari turned a troubled gaze towards Chibimon. "Chibimon, you've got to be more careful. The Digimon Kaiser might be our enemy, but he's still a human. If your attack hit him by mistake…" She was unable to continue that thought, but everyone present was able to fill in the rest for themselves, bringing a somber mood to the room.

Chibimon giggled, savoring Daisuke's praise a moment more before he paused and turned to look up at Hikari. "I don't care."

Hikari jerked, surprised. "You what?"

"I don't care," Chibimon said, his tone sounding surprisingly serious despite its high pitch. "Human or not, if he hurts Daisuke, I'll hurt _him_."

"But you can't!" Mimi said, horrified by Chibimon's declaration and the uncaring way he said it. "Humans aren't as strong as Digimon. If you attack him he… he might die!"

"If Digimon die, they'll be reborn," Hikari said, her voice subdued. "Humans… humans can't do that, Chibimon."

Taichi dusted himself off, his expression solemn. "Yeah. When we die it's game over. For good."

Chibimon looked at each of the Chosen Children who spoke in turn before settling his gaze on Taichi with a snort. "Then he shouldn't try to hurt Daisuke."

Daisuke frowned, troubled by the conversation. "Who said anything about killing anyone? We're just going to beat up the bad guys until they give up, right?" His anxiety grew as he noticed the uneasy expressions on the others' faces, as well as the fact that they seemed hesitant to answer. "Right?"

"Daisuke…," Hikari murmured. She tried to make herself say more, but the words would not come.

Taichi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly when Daisuke looked his way. "Yeah… that… It's not like we _want_ that to… but sometimes…"

Takeru glanced at the others, then sighed and turned to Daisuke. "It's not always that simple. Some Digimon won't stop, no matter what. And they're willing to… go to great length to hurt others, both human _and_ Digimon alike."

Patamon landed on Takeru's head, his expression grave. "Sometimes there's just no other option. There are Digimon who can't be reasoned with, who are so evil that their only hope to change is to be reborn and start all over again."

Daisuke resisted the urge to rub away the goose bumps that formed along his arms. "Reborn? You mean like… kind of like losing all the levels they got in a video game but they remember everything? They just gotta start from level one again, right?"

Takeru looked away, his jaw clenching. This was not a conversation he wanted to have, even on a good day. He instead focused on the weight of Patamon on his head, and the reassurance it brought.

"I guess it's something like that," Patamon said. "I'm not sure how it is for the Digimon who are reborn in the Village of Beginnings, but for me, it was… just going back to being an egg for a while. I still remembered everything, I remembered Takeru and all that we went through, and I evolved back to Child level after a little while."

Takeru clenched his fists almost painfully tight as he felt as though a lump was forming in his throat. He flinched when he felt someone touch his wrist and glanced up to see Hikari at his side. He could see the silent question hidden in her concerned eyes, but he forced his gaze away, saying nothing as he glared down at his feet as though they had done him some terrible wrong.

Daisuke's eyes widened as he outright gawked at Patamon. "Wait, you _died_?" He waited for Patamon to nod before he looked at the other Digimon. "Wait, so then… did anyone else…?" He shook his head briefly. "No, wait, never mind. That's just… dying for Digimon isn't so bad, right? I mean, it just set you back a little bit? It's not like you're not _you_ anymore, so it's not like it's forever even if we mess up and… I mean it's not like one of us _kids_ died… or, wait, since we're special 'cause we're Chosen Children or whatever, does that mean if we die we just go back to being babies too like them, or…"

Mimi's eyes shimmered with moisture, but somehow she managed to hold back her urge to cry. "I don't want to talk about this anymore!" Her voice cracked at a high pitch, strained from intense emotion. "Can't we please talk about something else? _Please?_"

Daisuke flinched and looked away, muttering apologies that were too quiet to hear clearly.

Chibimon frowned as he looked at Daisuke. He did not like how the conversation was upsetting his partner, not in the least. He turned to eye Mimi before looking directly at Hikari. "It doesn't matter."

Koshiro shifted uncomfortably in place, unnerved by how Chibimon seemed more irritated than anything else by the conversation. "What doesn't matter?"

"Any of it," Chibimon said. "About hurting and dying – it doesn't matter."

"It doesn't?" Jou repeated, as the words sounded foreign to him. "What…?"

Sora frowned as she looked at Chibimon. She realized that he was young and had only recently hatched, but surely even a newborn could understand the desire not to harm others. "What are you saying, Chibimon?"

"I'm saying I only care about Daisuke," Chibimon said, his arms crossed. "Everyone's always hurting him, and it's up to me to protect him."

"Chibimon…," Daisuke said softly as he looked at his partner.

Taichi scratched the back of his head as he let out an uncomfortable hum that rumbled in his throat. "I can understand that. About a year ago when some punk picked a fight with me, Agumon bit his leg and chased him off." A bittersweet smile drifted across his face before a frown erased it a second later. "But Agumon held back a _lot_ on that guy. It's fine if you want to protect Daisuke from humans who are jerks too, just go easier on them than Digimon, alright? Daisuke isn't the kind of guy who wants people getting killed over him."

Daisuke realized after a moment that Taichi was looking at him to answer and nodded a little too vigorously. "Yeah, I don't want _anyone_ to die. Not even the bad guys." Slowly, determination and an almost desperate idea set in and he clenched his fist close to his heart. "We'll take down the Digimon Kaiser without killing him or any of the Digimon! I don't care if it happened before; I won't let it happen again!"

Severe lines appeared on Chibimon's face for a moment, turning his expression ugly. The expression was gone when he turned to Daisuke with much softer eyes, but the displeasure still lingered. "Okay, Daisuke."

Daisuke beamed at Chibimon. "Right, we can do it together!"

Yamato looked at Daisuke and Chibimon before turning his attention back to Takeru. His little brother still looked pale and uneasy, and he was certain the conversation was not helping. "Takeru…"

Takeru glanced up at his brother, though he did not lift his head. He smiled slightly, the expression not quite reaching his eyes. "I'm fine."

Yamato stared hard at his little brother, his disbelief of that statement clear in his blue eyes. Takeru's smile crumbled and fell under that look. The Chosen of Hope lowered his gaze back towards his feet, saying nothing more.

Taichi furrowed his brow as he looked around at the gloomy expressions on his friends' faces. He nodded after coming to a decision and clapped his hands once to get everyone's attention. "Alright! Who wants to go out for burgers? My treat!"

Yamato paused at the sudden change of topic, regarding Taichi briefly before a smile slowly grew across his face. "I guess I can help share the burden. Leave it to the senpai, right?"

"W-wait, if you put it like _that_," Jou said as he adjusted his glasses. "I'm the senpai!"

Taichi grinned and clasped Jou's shoulder. "Alright, alright, it'll be _Jou's_ treat then."

"E-er, what?" Jou paused at that, his glasses sliding down his nose as he realized what was happening. "I-I–"

Sora giggled. "How about we just pool our money instead? I mean, don't forget we have some Digimon with hearty appetites~!"

Tailmon chuckled. "Including a particularly young one."

"I'm only hungry if Daisuke's hungry!" Chibimon said as he hopped up to hang off his Chosen's arm.

Daisuke laughed as he flashed a wide grin. "Hey, I'm _always_ hungry! Let's go stuff ourselves silly, Chibimon!"

"Okay~!" Chibimon said, with a bright smile.

Hikari felt relieved that the tension had mostly dissipated from the conversation, even if she still felt uneasy about the things Chibimon said. He was still young, she reminded herself, having hatched only a few days ago. Hopefully, he would better understand the value of life over time. What troubled her more was the fact that Takeru still avoided looking at anyone. She could guess what he was dwelling on, and she was certain that the only reason Patamon had not noticed was because the Child Digimon was on top of Takeru's head and thus unable to see the Chosen of Hope's expression. She felt compelled to say something to Takeru, but she was not sure of exactly what, particularly since she doubted he wanted her to draw everyone's attention to it. Perhaps she would be able to think of something by the time they next had the opportunity to be alone together.

* * *

><p>Daisuke readjusted the duffle bag slung over his shoulder as he walked briskly from the soccer field to the boys' locker room, still wearing his soccer uniform. He hummed a jaunty tune, the opening to one of his favorite anime, with Chibimon softly humming along. He was in a great mood that morning. Not only was he still riding the high from hanging out with his new friends yesterday afternoon, but that morning he made ten goals at practice, got praised by the coach, <em>and<em> managed to put one over on Jun. Next time maybe she would think twice about sprinkling salt into his milk, or having a glass of milk of her own that he could switch when her back was turned.

A boy in a Pokémon t-shirt suddenly cut off Daisuke just as the Chosen Child was nearing the corner of the building. "Hey!" the boy said, arms stretched out at his sides to block Daisuke's path. "Hold on a second!"

Daisuke instinctively hopped back a step so that he would not be within arm's reach of the other boy, his cheer instantly replaced with wariness. "Yeah, what is it?"

The boy pointed behind Daisuke. "You dropped something back there."

Daisuke frowned before sparing a glance at his duffle bag. He had made it a policy to keep the bag partially open at all times so Chibimon could breathe, but he doubted something could have fallen out without the Digimon noticing. "Dropped what?"

The boy shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "I dunno, Man. They looked small and shiny. Maybe keys?"

Daisuke felt his insides clench at the idea of losing his key ring. Jun would make his life miserable without his keys – or rather, she would make it even _more_ miserable than she usually did. "Where did you see them drop?"

The boy gestured towards the school building. "Back there near the wall. They were flying pretty far with how you were swinging that bag of yours around."

Chibimon narrowed his eyes as he listened to the other boy, and then reached over to poke Daisuke in the leg through the duffle bag. The Digimon smelled a _rat_, especially since he had the keys right with him in the bag.

For a moment, Daisuke hesitated, not quite trusting this boy whose name he failed to remember. He thought this kid was in his class, but he was far from certain about that guess. He noticed Chibimon poke at him, but the gesture was too vague for him to figure out what his partner was trying to tell him. Was it a signal that the boy was being truthful or not? He wanted to look in his bag to be sure, but held back the urge while the boy was still watching him while standing a little too close for comfort. Ultimately, he decided that he could not risk losing his keys and walked back in the direction the boy indicated, keeping his guard up some sort of setup. "Okay, _where_ exactly?"

"Further back," the boy said while making a vague gesture. "Go stand next to the third window. That's where it is."

Daisuke glanced around then eyed the window in question, half expecting to see someone standing on the other side watching him, ready to pull some sort of dirty prank. He saw the inside of the library with thankfully no one inside, and it did not appear as though anyone was nearby aside from him, Chibimon, and the boy in the Pokémon shirt. Satisfied that no one was sneaking up on him, he focused on the ground, searching for any glint of metal or something less than wholesome the boy might have been directing him towards, like dog poop perhaps. "Around here?"

The boy shifted his attention between Daisuke and some point towards the sky. "Yeah, that looks like the spot. Just keep looking. I'm sure you'll get it any minute now."

The sudden piercing shout of a girl's voice caused Daisuke to jerk. "Hold it right there!" Someone unleashed a loud curse at the same time he realized the commotion was coming from somewhere above him. He snapped his head upward just in time to see something speeding down towards his face.

Before either Daisuke or Chibimon could react, someone with a strong grip suddenly roughly pulled the goggle boy to the side. At the same moment, Daisuke felt more than saw something fly past his face with lightning speed, only to be caught right in front of him. He realized that the object was a bucket dangling in someone else's hand, still mostly full with water. For a shaky moment, all he could do was stare, as the bucket was swung around to splash the boy in the Pokémon shirt, who shrieked due to the cold water.

"Hey!" the boy shouted. "What's the big idea_?_!"

The newcomer did not reply, instead focusing his narrowed chocolate brown eyes on the boy in the Pokémon shirt with surprising intensity. He was about Daisuke's age with neatly trimmed short brown hair. Bizarrely enough, in Daisuke's opinion, the boy who caught the bucket wore the school's uniform, which somehow seemed to fit the grim expression and rigid demeanor he possessed. He released his grip on Daisuke's arm, but still held the empty bucket tightly at his side.

It took Daisuke a moment to recall that the boy in the uniform was someone from his class, as wearing a uniform that was optional was too strange _not_ to notice, though the name of his savior escaped him. It was hardly important, however, as he focused more on the bucket that would have collided with his head, had his classmate had arrived just a second later. His eyes instinctively traveled up to the open window and a few seconds later, he realized that he had been standing beneath his homeroom. He saw no one in any of the open windows from his vantage point, but he did not expect the culprits behind this incident to stick around.

Slowly, the blood returned to Daisuke's face, his pale features growing flushed with anger as he rounded on the boy in the Pokémon shirt. "What the hell! You tried to crack my skull open!"

"No I didn't!" the boy in the soaking wet Pokémon shirt shouted as he held up his hands. He stumbled back a step before running away at full speed towards the entrance of the school. "I had nothing to do with this!"

The boy in the uniform watched the other boy flee, his stern expression never changing until the soaked boy disappeared back into the building. After a moment, he turned to Daisuke. "He will be disciplined, so don't trouble yourself over this."

Daisuke had to do a double take at the boy who saved him. He had never heard anyone his age talk in such a formal manner. Between the other boy's speech and the uniform, if Daisuke had not been certain that they were in the same class, he would have pegged the other boy as someone much older, perhaps a teenager who got lost on the way to the high school. Although, he supposed the fact that they were around the same height and the other boy had a youthful face despite the hard lines marring it would have been a tipoff about his true age as well. It just made the situation feel all the more surreal. "I guess?"

The boy in the uniform looked Daisuke over with a critical eye before he nodded. A ghost of a smile appeared, one that did not quite belong on such a serious face. "Good, you're unharmed. I'll escort you to your classroom and explain the situation to your teacher."

"Uh… thanks," Daisuke said slowly. He still felt disoriented from both the close call and the boy who rescued him. It was all so bizarre that he wondered if he was really in front of his portable television and some late night art film was permeating his dreams. It would explain why Jun fell for her own lame trick…

Daisuke shook his head to clear away such an absurd notion and tried to get his mind on the present. "I mean, thank you… For saving my life I mean." He forced out a humorless chuckle. "Man, if you weren't passing by…" His eyes drifted towards the empty bucket as a feeling of nausea crawled its way up his throat.

The stranger's smile disappeared and his jaw clenched. "It's inexcusable."

The cry of a girl's voice – the same voice that had shouted only minutes ago – drew the boys' attention towards the building. "Hey!" A second later, Miyako appeared from around the corner, breathing heavily with her cell phone in hand. "How bad is the damage?" She slowed to a stop when she got a good look at Daisuke and the boy in the uniform before she let out a quiet huff. "Eh? You mean I practically fell down the stairs getting here for nothing? I was just about to call an ambulance!"

The stoic boy suddenly held the empty bucket out towards the girl, his expression once again calm as the tension eased from his jaw. "Good morning, Miyako."

"Thanks, Iori," Miyako muttered as she took the bucket. "Next time, shout up at the window that you've got everything under control. I wouldn't have wasted my time running out here if I knew Motomiya's brains weren't splattered all over the sidewalk."

Daisuke felt his temper break with an audible snap. "Waste your time_?_! Nothing_?_! That wasn't _nothing_! Those jerks nearly _killed_ me!"

"And Iori saved you," Miyako said calmly. "I know it's shocking at first, but you really should get used to it, Motomiya, or you're going to have a hard time getting anything accomplished."

Daisuke outright gawked at Miyako. "_What?_!"

"You know," Miyako said before dropping her voice low. "The whole needing to have your life saved by someone else. You better get used to it since it's going to be happening pretty often."

Daisuke could hardly believe what he was hearing. He was so taken aback that he could not think of a single thing to say in response.

Miyako glanced around to verify that there was no one else within earshot. "Anyway, we can talk about it some other time. Here isn't a good place for any sort of private conversation. Especially because of that reputation of yours."

"If you wish to catch Akashi for his involvement, you'd best hurry," Iori said, cutting in to the conversation. "He ran towards his classroom, and should still be quite _wet_ with guilt."

Miyako flashed Iori a rather vicious looking smile. "Trust me. _No one_ is going to get away from me."

Iori was silent as he watched Miyako race off. Once the girl had disappeared into the building, the young man turned to Daisuke. "Please don't misunderstand, no one is blaming you for this. Whatever your 'reputation', no one has the right to harm you. The weak and cowardly simply go after targets they feel are safe. They believe they will not be punished for targeting you – they are _mistaken_."

Daisuke managed a nod once he regained his wits, though he did not truly believe it. "Thanks," he muttered, trying not to let his lingering irritation for Miyako show in his voice and failing.

Iori looked at Daisuke for several moments before his eyes widened slightly. "Ah, how rude of me. I did not properly introduce myself," He straightened up, placing his arms to his sides before bowing slightly. "I am Hida, Iori Hida."

Daisuke bobbed his head in an awkward almost bow. "Daisuke Motomiya. We're in the same class, right?"

"Yes, we are," Iori said as he straightened up. "I was on my way to our class when I noticed… what was happening."

Daisuke anxiously ran his fingers through his hair and nearly pulled off the goggles Taichi gave him by accident. He readjusted the goggles as he tried to focus on something, anything else besides his anger towards the other boys and Miyako or the near concussion. "Yeah, well, it happens." _A lot._ "I'm pretty much used to it by now." _Though no one's ever tried to crush my head before…_ "So, uh, thanks, but be careful or they might start pulling… stuff… on you." He worried then about Hikari, Takeru, and even Chibimon. If the pranks on him had escalated to this point, then what if…

A shudder ran through Daisuke and he let that thought go unfinished, discarding it altogether. "Anyway, I've got to get changed for class, so…"

Iori shook his head. "Don't concern yourself over that. I'm not afraid of cowards, and they'd find me a poorly chosen target," He turned back towards the building, his eyes sharp for anything out of the ordinary. "Let's go. I believe it'd be best if I went with you, in case any teachers come to the wrong conclusion."

Normally, Daisuke would have been suspicious of a classmate's sudden interest in him, but given the circumstances, he felt relieved instead. "Okay, if you don't mind then I don't mind the company."

Iori nodded before he proceeded to walk into the school building, mindful to stay by Daisuke's side. He held the door for the other boy before the two walked down the hall, making their way towards the locker room. Along the way, a teacher spotted them – or rather, seemed to spot Daisuke.

"Motomiya!" the teacher said, with a voice sharp and sudden enough to remind Daisuke of when the Digimon Kaiser's whip struck the goggle boy's ear. The teacher was far more intimidating than the childish tyrant, well over twice Daisuke's side and nearly twice as wide, being built from as much fat as muscle.

Daisuke cringed instinctively, both from the shout and because he knew what was coming. He was in no mood for this, but that never mattered – everyone at school except for a few rare exceptions cared how he felt. All he could do was just swallow his anger and wait for whatever lecture the teacher had for him to be over.

The teacher reached Daisuke in a few quick strides, looming over the boy with a scowl of disapproval. "Just what are you up to this time?"

"Nothing, Sir," Daisuke said, the response as automatic as his urge to keep his eyes on the floor.

"Nothing, huh?" The instructor's expression was of suspicion. "And just are you doing with–" He stopped short when he finally noticed Iori, his expression shifting from irritation to confusion. "You're with Hida."

Iori gave a slight but respectful bow. "Good morning, Mr. Fujimoto."

The teacher, Fujimoto, recovered quickly, returning his suspicious gaze to Daisuke. "Get to class. If you're late, you'll be holding buckets in the hall."

Daisuke flinched and fought the urge to mention what had happened, knowing that it would be useless. Instead, he tried to be discreet as he inched his way around Fujimoto. "I will, but I need to get changed first." When the teacher stepped to the side to remain in his path, he tried to give the man his most innocent smile. "The bell hasn't rung yet so I've still got time."

"We are on our way," Iori said as he straightened up. "We are simply heading to the locker room so that my classmate may change. There was an incident, and I am making certain that Daisuke is not harassed further."

Fujimoto's eyes narrowed. "Incident? _What_ incident? Who have you been harassing, Motomiya? What sort of trouble are you getting in to _now_–"

Iori stepped between Daisuke and Fujimoto, locking gazes with the man. His brown eyes were hard and unforgiving, his face a mask of stern disapproval. Such a harsh expression seemed completely out of place on an elementary school student, more fitting on someone much older and with more authority. Still, the expression was enough to catch the teacher completely off-guard.

Small beads of sweat appeared on Fujimoto's brow as he and Iori stared each other down for nearly a minute. The boy's gaze did not waiver even to blink, boring in to him like a knife. After a few more moments, the instructor coughed and looked away. "Anyway, hurry up." With that, he bid a hasty retreat, disappearing down the hallway as Iori's eyes followed him with laser-point accuracy.

Daisuke stared after the retreating teacher, dumbfounded. "Whoa… I never saw _anyone_ stare down Mr. Fujimoto before."

Iori did not relax, maintaining his rigid, disapproving posture, even after Fujimoto disappeared around the corner. "I do not approve of figures of authority speaking so carelessly."

"You've probably haven't been going here long then," Daisuke said lightly, only half teasing.

"I have," Iori said. "I simply haven't been in a position to see their impropriety before."

Daisuke stared blankly at Iori. "Impowhata?"

Finally, Iori seemed to relax his stance faintly, and turned to look Daisuke with softer eyes. "Inappropriate behavior, given his status."

"Oh," Daisuke said before shaking his head. "Yeah, well, that's what they say about me I guess." He shrugged then paused as he realized they reached the locker room. "Anyway, thanks for the escort, and the rescue. I owe you one."

The corner of Iori's mouth tugged upward in a faint but genuine smile that managed to dispel just a little of that mature aura he wore. "You are most welcome. I will go to our teacher and inform him of the situation. Assuming that Miyako hasn't done so already, of course." He bowed to Daisuke, a little more deeply than before, then turned and proceeded down the hallway, leaving the goggle boy at the locker room.

Chibimon waited until the boy was gone before he poked his head out, ears drooping. "I'm sorry, Daisuke. I should've protected you better. I knew he was lying and I couldn't tell you."

Daisuke stepped into the locker room quickly before anyone saw Chibimon. To his relief it was empty, which allowed him to rub his partner's head without fear of getting caught. "Hey, it's okay," he whispered. "It happened way too fast for me to realize what happened until it was all over too. Maybe we should figure out some sort of signal, like, uh… one poke means yes, two means no, and more than that means emergency or whatever?"

"Okay, Daisuke!" Chibimon nodded sharply, his expression determined. He stopped and watched as his Chosen hurried to change clothes before the bell rang. With Daisuke distracted, Chibimon turned his gaze towards the door to the locker room and _glowered_. While he was thankful for Iori, he could not forget that the boy only had to step in because _Chibimon_ had failed to protect Daisuke.

The entire incident only served to convince the Digimon that he needed to step up his game, to do even _more_ to protect Daisuke. It truly did seem like the whole world wanted to hurt his Chosen – the senpai, Jun, the Digimon Kaiser, bad Digimon, the school, and even random buckets. If Chibimon wanted to make sure that Daisuke stayed safe, he would need to be more vigilant, if not more _proactive_.

Chibimon was going to make certain that Daisuke was safe, even if he had to hurt everyone in the whole world.


	12. Chapter 11

School could not have ended soon enough for Koshiro. Normally he did not feel any urgent need to rush home, taking his time to consider his homework or to attend computer club meetings. Often he used the club to discreetly work on matters involving the Digital World. However, as trouble escalated in the Digital World, he felt the pressure on him increase. Out of all of the Chosen, he was the only one who understood programming language and could access aspects of the Digital World that were out of reach of his friends. This made it more important than ever for him to unlock the secrets of the Digimon Kaiser's power, the Evil Rings, and the Dark Towers. The work he could do at the computer lab was trifling to what he could accomplish at home. Not to mention, he wanted to spend more time with Tentomon now that his partner was safely back at home.

Despite how pressing it felt to Koshiro that he return to his computer as soon as possible, he made sure not to call attention to himself by moving too quickly. The last thing he needed was his peers or the teachers to grow curious about why he was in a rush. He was absolutely awful at making up excuses.

However, a sudden email from Tentomon while Koshiro was changing into his outdoor shoes, made the Chosen of Knowledge forget all about pretending everything was normal. Koshiro crammed his feet into his shoes and took off at top speed, barely registering the shrieks of a couple of girls he almost collided with in his haste. He shouted an apology without bothering to look back.

Tentomon had never been very good at being stealthy, so unlike the other Chosen Digimon, he did not try to watch over Koshiro at school. Instead, he was in charge of monitoring the Digital World and doing research of his own during school hours. He was to give a report of anything he found out once his partner came home so that they could brainstorm about it together.

Unless there was an emergency.

Koshiro was out of breath by the time he reached his apartment door, even though he took a brief rest inside the elevator as it went up. "I'm home!" he said automatically between pants after throwing open the door, his face flushed.

"Oh, Koshiro?" Yoshie said, her curious voice floating from in the kitchen. "Home already?"

Koshiro nodded, despite the fact that his mother could not see it, as he fumbled to get out of his shoes as fast as possible, yelping as he fell over in the process. He recovered quickly and kicked off his remaining shoe towards the front door before hurrying to his room. "Big emergency! Digital World!" He lacked the breath to explain in full sentences. He would have to give the details to his mother later, but right now he needed to get to his computer before it was too late.

"Koshiro!" Tentomon was already facing the door before his Chosen even entered the bedroom, having heard the commotion from the entryway.

Koshiro practically collapsed into his chair. "What's going on? What's the emergency?" He turned towards the monitor displaying the Digital Gate, seeing the answer for himself before Tentomon could reply.

"I received a strange email moments ago," Tentomon said. "It's a distress call," The insect Digimon turned to the screen, where an email was front and center for Koshiro to see. "'Emergency. Critical Error.'" Tentomon then turned back to Koshiro, fidgeting his front pincers anxiously. "See?"

Koshiro glanced over the secondary computer monitor that displayed the email on the side of his desk before set to work tracking down its sender. "Critical error… Could it be…" He let the thought trail off with a shiver as he focused on his task. In less than a minute, he had the source located and brought it up on the main screen where the Digital Gate displayed the landscape of the Digital World.

The monitor displayed a wasteland, the ground tinged grayish brown and virtually utterly barren as far as the eye could see. What little foliage present there appeared as though it was made of gears and wires. Sparse mechanical trees and bushes twitched not from the wind, but from clunky parts that only halfway functional, though whatever they were made to do escaped Koshiro. He would have spent more time pondering them if something else did not demand his attention. A brown robot Digimon, a Guardromon, lay sprawled across the ground, sparks spitting from the torn plating in its metal chassis, the ground beneath it stained dark with unknown fluids.

For a moment, Koshiro could only stare, needing time to process what he saw. There was a strange sense of something almost like relief when he realized what the email meant – in his imagination he feared it was something more dire that affected the entirety of the Digital World. However, such a feeling was fleeting, as horror was quick to replace it when he realized that the Digimon on the screen before him was dying. "That Guardromon is in trouble! We've got to help it!" He swiftly out his Digivice and pointed it at the screen, acting less on a plan and more on instinct. "Digital Gate open!"

Nothing changed. There was no flash of light or sudden pull to prelude the typical transportation between worlds. Koshiro smacked his forehead hard enough to leave a faint red mark. The sense of urgency that made him rush to act had obviously interfered with his ability to think clearly, which he found all the more annoying given what his crest was. He knew his Digivice had not evolved yet, even if it contained the Digimental of Friendship. He needed his friends' help in order to get to the Digital World.

Koshiro felt the urge to either slap himself again or curse but he forced both back. Sora, Taichi, and Yamato were still at school – he had just _been_ there. Any one of them could have taken him through the gate and he did not slow down to let them know about the emergency. "I don't know what's wrong with me today," he muttered as he pulled out his D-Terminal. He hoped that by the time he sent an email to his friends and they arrived that it would not be too late for the Guardromon.

Yoshie's voice through the door made Koshiro jerk, his fingers fumbling across the keypad to turn part of his email into nonsense. "Koshiro? Your friends are here!"

Koshiro fumbled to fix the typo then paused, blinking, as what his mother had said settled in. "Huh?"

Koshiro swiveled around in his chair just in time to see his bedroom door open, revealing a rather disheveled Yamato, precariously clutching a school bag. The Chosen of Friendship's face was flushed, his breathing labored. "Koshiro! What's happened?"

Taichi immediately followed suit, still rumpled from the long run from school. "Yeah, we saw you take off and tried shouting after you, but you didn't answer us."

"E-excuse me!" Sora's voice came from somewhere behind the boys, as she arrived only seconds after her friends. She paused in the doorway only briefly to give Yoshie a polite bow in greeting before she walked quickly in to the room where all the other Chosen were huddled. "I'm h-here! I had to stop and send an email first!"

Koshiro blushed faintly. "Sorry, guys. I…" He paused and shook his head. "There's no time for explanations right now. I need one of you to open the gate. We've got a Digimon in major trouble." He slid away from his desk and pointed to the screen so that the others could see the Guardromon for themselves.

"Got it!" shouted both Taichi and Yamato in virtually the same instant, as the two boys pulled out their Digivices. Thanks to their Digimentals, they both had evolved their Digivices to the new incarnation. Taichi's was orange and white, while Yamato's was icy blue and white. The two stopped, Digivices in hand, as they realized what they had done, and looked at each other awkwardly.

Sora did not wait to see if the two boys were going to fight over who would open the gate and held her Digivice forward. "Digital Gate open!"

In a flash of light, the five were transported into the wasteland near a crop of mechanical trees. Up close, the plants looked chipped and old with rust coating them, as though they required some sort of maintenance that had not been administered for a very long time. The air was thick with the hum of electronics and the clatter of gears moving, some smoothly while others clunked feebly along, creating more noise than any of the Chosen expected. It was disorienting for the children at first, but their confusion cleared up quickly when Tentomon called their attention.

"Over here, Koshiro!" Tentomon said. "The Guardromon is this way!"

Within minutes, the Chosen reached the Guardromon and the sight of it made them recoil to varying degrees. As bad as the machine Digimon had appeared on the other side of the Digital Gate, in person the damage was even worse. Rows of long gashes peeled apart the Digimon's metal chassis in even strips, exposing frayed or cut wires and damaged circuitry. Sparks danced in erratic patterns inside its body, spitting some out to fall into the oil that pooled beneath the Digimon's prone body. It was a wonder that the oil had not ignited already from the sparks, but perhaps even the properties of combustible fluids did not necessarily behave like in the Digital World like they did in the real world. The Guardromon's visor was cracked with nothing but blackness underneath, leaving the children with no way of knowing if it was awake and suffering. The only thing that made them certain that it was still alive was the simple fact that it had not deleted to data yet.

For a moment, the Chosen Children could only stare, taken aback by the damage and reconciling it with the fact that what they were seeing was grave injuries to a creature that was alive as any of them, rather than just a broken machine.

Sora was the first to speak, though her voice came out in a choked whisper. "Is… is it…?" She hesitated to finish her question, but they all knew what she was going to say regardless.

Koshiro approached the Guardromon to get a closer look at the fallen Digimon, only marginally relieved to see that there were no signs of data dissolving from the Digimon's body yet or an Evil Ring controlling it. "Not yet, but unless we repair it right away, it'll…" He did not want to finish that thought, and judging from the looks on the others' faces, he could see they felt the same way. "We need to get it some help fast."

Taichi grimaced as he moved closer, hesitant to see the damage more clearly, but knowing they needed to. "Can't you fix it?"

Koshiro shook his head, his expression pained. "I wish I could, but my skills are in software, not hardware."

Yamato jerked his head towards Koshiro. "What? But… you made the D-Terminals!" He faltered before he could continue his thought, as he had to admit to himself that there was a vast difference between a living creature like a Digimon and the D-Terminal, but he knew that they had to do _something_.

Koshiro's eyes widened before he snapped his fingers. "That's it!" He whipped out his D-Terminal and hastily set to work on a new email. "_I_ can't fix Guardromon, but I know who can!"

Taichi blinked and scratched the side of his head. "Who?"

* * *

><p>"Miyako Inoe at your service," Miyako said upon entering Koshiro's apartment. She had changed out of her school uniform into a pair of navy overalls atop a somewhat worn yellow t-shirt. Her hair was tied back into a tight bun and she sported a pair of prescription goggles instead of her glasses. At her side, she carried a bulging, almost alarmingly tattered satchel marked with countless strips duct tape to patch obvious tears in the material. Every moment she made was heralded by the sound of countless metal pieces striking each other from within the bag, which was likely the reason why the bag was practically made more from duct tape than canvas at this point.<p>

Daisuke arrived not long before Miyako did, as well as the rest of the Chosen Children, thanks to the email Sora sent them when following Koshiro. He outright gawked at Miyako when the class representative arrived. "Inoe_?_! What the heck are _you_ doing here? And why are you dressed like a mechanic?"

Miyako's gaze passed over the bulk of the Chosen Children without reaction, as though they were not staring at her with varying amounts of surprise, until she focused on Koshiro. "Okay, where's the patient?"

"Hello, Miyako," Takeru said, with a small smile. He understood the confusion the other Chosen Children felt. He had information they did not – a fact he felt rather guilty about. However, he never really found a good opportunity to bring it up, and clearly neither had Koshiro. Still, it was a bit pointless to worry about that now. "I know you made the D-Terminals, but do you really think you could help the Guardromon? I mean, he's a machine… but he's a _Digimon_…"

Miyako tilted her head back as she regarded Takeru. "If it's a machine I can fix it. I've been taking stuff apart and putting it back together since I could crawl."

Koshiro smiled faintly, failing to hide the uncertainty he felt towards his decision, but it was too late to second-guess himself now. "We don't know how much time the Guardromon has left, and I don't know anyone else who might be able to help it in time." He gestured towards his bedroom. "Guardromon is this way."

Miyako brushed past Koshiro and everyone else that stood between her and the bedroom. Jou stood by Guardromon with an expression of helpless frustration creating severe lines on his face as he stood over his patient. He had applied bandages, but they did little more than sop up the leaking oil. The rest of the Chosen Children had lingered outside the bedroom in order to give him space to work, as there was little they could do. Jou barely had time to acknowledge Miyako's sudden entrance before she yanked him away from the prone Digimon and shoved him towards the door. "_Out!_ I don't need your static electricity ruining the circuitry!"

Jou stumbled forward, arms pin wheeling at his sides. "W-whoa, yikes-!" Before he lost his balance completely, Yamato lashed out to snag one of his flailing arms, holding him steady until he stood solidly on his own two feet again. Heat flooded the eldest Chosen's cheeks as he offered the blond a weak, but grateful smile, too embarrassed to remark on his near fall. He glanced over his shoulder at Miyako as he slipped his glasses back into their proper position from their previously precarious position at the end of his nose, but the girl had her back to him. "Ummm…"

Miyako set her satchel on the floor, which created a loud clatter upon impact, and then turned a critical eye towards the small group of Chosen Digimon sitting perfectly motionless on Koshiro's bed. "You too. _Out!_"

"It's okay, everyone," Tentomon said, from his position on Koshiro's pillow. "You do not need to hide, she is aware of Digimon."

Chibimon let out the breath he had been holding in a sigh as his entire body relaxed. He hated having to hold still, especially around someone who made him leery. A frowned appeared on his face as he appraised Miyako and her critical gaze. After a moment, he hopped off the bed and practically ran to Daisuke's side, feeling more at ease when his Chosen Child picked him up. He did not know what was going on, but he was not particularly fond of Miyako, so he felt no need to talk to her. Then again, he never liked anyone who was harsh with Daisuke for no good reason – not that there was _ever_ a good reason.

Tailmon and Palmon shared a glance before they exited the room without a word, with Tentomon taking up the rear.

Taichi's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline as he looked at Koshiro, who held his hands up almost defensively.

"I was going to tell you guys," Koshiro said with a nervous air about him, "but I just forgot. Honest."

Patamon fluttered down from his perch on Takeru's head to join the other Digimon as the majority convened on the dining room table. "You're lucky. I had to try and keep still while she gave me and Takeru a huge lecture."

Takeru laughed awkwardly. "No kidding."

Hikari turned to Takeru. "You knew about this too?"

Daisuke still had not gotten over outright gawking at Miyako, unable to wrap his mind around her behavior, how cavalier she was about barking orders at what most people assumed to be stuffed dolls, then watching them obediently walk away without even the slightest change in her expression. The only reason why he was not running both of his hands through his hair at that moment was because he was still holding Chibimon. "Wait, wait, wait… You're not surprised by _any_ of this?" He freed a hand make an exaggerated gesture towards his partner, then the rest of the Digimon, as though the class representative had somehow not gotten a good look at the tiny dragon, cat wearing accessories, flying hamster, walking plant, giant ladybug, and bulky sparking humanoid robot the first time.

Miyako cocked an eyebrow at Daisuke, which pulled at her goggles slightly, before she turned to Koshiro. "_No one_ is to open this door unless I start screaming like I'm dying or something like that, okay? And even then, _girls only!_" She did not wait for an answer, instead slamming the door shut, which caused everyone to flinch back instinctively. Daisuke yelped and took a step back as well, which was echoed by Chibimon, as the goggle boy had been standing directly in front of the door when it closed.

Takeru paused for a moment as he looked at the door Miyako had just shut in their faces, and then turned to Hikari. "I only learned about it the other day, when she came to… _talk_ to me about my hiding Patamon in plain sight." The Chosen of Hope had the good grace to look sheepish. "After that, we had that fight with the Kaiser and I guess my mind was… elsewhere." His eyes drifted towards Patamon, but only for a second when he noticed that his partner was watching him.

Yamato also observed Takeru out of the corner of his eye, trying not to let the tension he felt show in his expression. It was clear to him that something happened against the Digimon Kaiser had badly shaken Takeru, but he was at a loss as to what that was. Granted, he and the other Chosen who had been monitoring the Digital World from the computer had been distracted by the return of Sora's group, and when the Digimon Kaiser attacked, Koshiro had to scramble to change the camera feed to keep up with Takeru's group as they scattered and attempted to escape. However, as far as he had seen, nothing the Digimon Kaiser did during that ambush was anything worse than they had already seen, and no one in that group mentioned anything particularly alarming beyond what happened in the quarry, and the Chosen of Friendship was certain Takeru seemed more or less all right despite that battle.

In spite of this knowledge, Yamato was certain something was wrong, and it was maddeningly frustrating. He attempted to broach the issue when he cornered Takeru near the bathroom earlier, where they would have relative privacy, but his little brother had blown him off. The dismissal was done with a smile and a reassurance that he was worrying too much, but he knew Takeru better than that. It made him acutely aware that the barrier built when their parents divorced was still holding strong between them, even after all this time and everything they had gone through together.

"Please forgive Miyako's behavior, everyone," Koshiro said, raising his voice so that all his friends could hear him. "She's a friend I met online, who I've been getting advice from about Digimon." He looked to Takeru. "I knew she lived pretty close, and I met her a couple times in person, but I didn't realize she would try and meet with the rest of you without asking me to set it up first. I would've told you about her sooner if I knew."

Sora frowned as she shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think she can… save the Guardromon?"

Koshiro's smile grew strained. "I don't know," he said, his voice soft. "I can't think of anything else we can do to help it right now. It's not as though we can use a Digimental on Guardromon and heal it with evolution like Palmon."

Mimi looked to the door then knelt down to scoop up Palmon and hugged her partner close to her chest. "Poor Guardromon…"

Palmon returned the hug, gloomily. "I wonder what happened to him…"

"The Digimon Kaiser," Taichi said, his expression tight. "Who else _could_ it be?"

Daisuke threw his arms up in the air and waved them around. "Hang on a second!" He paused when he realized that he accidentally swung Chibimon around and pulled his partner close with a quick apology before he returned his focus to the group, only briefly distracted from his outrage. "Since _when_ is _Inoe_ part of the group? Who gave _her_ a Digivice_?_!"

Takeru blinked at that and turned to look at Daisuke. "I… don't think she _has_ one?" He paused for a moment as he thought of who he was talking to, then turned to Koshiro with raised eyebrows. "…Does she?"

Koshiro shook his head. "No, not at all. My online friends and I have been looking for the other Chosen Children since Ryo mentioned there were fifteen of us, especially after Daisuke showed up."

Yamato cocked his head in Koshiro's direction. "So she's not a Chosen, she's just someone who's helping us?" He let out a quiet grunt as he crossed his arms. "But there _are_ more Chosen out there… somewhere."

Koshiro nodded with an affirmative sound. "Miyako was one of the kids who helped us fight Diablomon with all those emails, remember?" He paused to let out a weary sigh at the memory. "After Diablomon pretty much exposed us, I had to change my username completely, even find a new email provider, and my friends and I have had to switch to private chat rooms. You wouldn't believe how many kids out there are desperate to become a Chosen Child too. Not to mention all the spam I got from it…"

Daisuke approached Koshiro, leaning in closer to Chosen of Knowledge until they were nearly nose to nose. "But she's _not_, right? You're _sure_ Inoe isn't one of us? You're absolutely positive?"

Koshiro instinctively leaned back, though there was little room for him to back away with all of the Chosen Children crowding his apartment's living room. "Well… uh… _technically_ we don't exactly _know_. We have no way of figuring out who's a Chosen Child until they go to the Digital World. After all, we had no idea you were one until you accidentally came with us that first time."

Taichi rubbed the back of his neck as he cast a thoughtful gaze towards Koshiro's bedroom. "It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to test it out."

"Yes it would!" Daisuke nearly shouted before clamping his mouth shut quickly. He had not meant to voice that thought aloud.

Koshiro blinked at Daisuke before rubbed the back of his head, feeling an acute sense of awkwardness. "Actually… Miyako and some of the others online think it might be a good idea to just start trying to bring kids into the Digital World and see who actually can go." His grimace made it clear how he felt towards the idea. "Though, I would prefer we figure out how to narrow down the search first, since there's billions of children on the planet. Not to mention the Digimon Kaiser is going to be a problem…"

Mimi pursed her lips as she let out a quiet hum. "Where do we even start? I can't think of anyone who _wouldn't_ want a Digimon of their own, and if they're not Chosen, then we're going to disappoint so many people…"

Sora grimaced. "It's probably not a good idea to let too many people know about us anyway." She paused for a moment. "I mean… any _more_ people."

Takeru leaned back against the edge of the table and glanced at the Chosen Digimon. "It seems weird that we'd need to hide our Digimon when so many people know… not just because of Diablomon, but also _Vamdemon_ and _his_ little… escapades." He paused for a moment when he noticed Tailmon grow tense at the same time a hint of sadness settled into Hikari's expression, both changes in demeanor as faint as a ghost. "But it seems like most people just… tuned it out, like it was a hoax or a stunt of some kind? It seems like when you hear about it in the news anymore, there's someone talking about some new explanation for it. And the people who actually _believe_ it…"

Jou pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose with his index finger. "It's just easier that we avoid that kind of attention."

Yamato chuckled awkwardly. "It _might_ cause problems if my band ever makes it big. Taichi and I were the ones that got our faces plastered on the Internet, even if it's _Koshiro's_ email they got access to. But then, I've only had a couple fans approach me about it… and only half actually ask about Digimon as if they were real. The other half act like it was a publicity stunt and ask me how it was done – like it was some kind of movie we streamed across the 'net. So much for human denial, huh?"

Koshiro rubbed his bangs away from his face. "Yeah, but you wouldn't believe how many emails I got a day from people all over the world. It wasn't just kids either, but there were _adults_ investigating. If my genius friend in America hadn't been able to hack into their databases and erase our data…"

"Then you'd probably still be deleting a thousand emails a day," Taichi said. He flashed Yamato a grin. "Hey, your band sounds like it was useful after all."

"Hey, _thanks_," Yamato said dryly, though he grinned back at Taichi. "Glad we could do something other than wake the neighbors."

"It's not that," Koshiro said quickly. "Yes, getting flooded with emails was hard on my computer, but there were _investigations_ about us."

Hikari jerked, staring at Koshiro with wide eyes. "Investigations?"

Koshiro nodded, his expression grave. "Yeah. Government agencies and even private organizations, and who knows who else are interested in Digimon. My friend tried to track down as many as he could and give them false leads about who we are and where we live, but…" He nodded to Yamato. "As Yamato demonstrated, they know what he and Taichi look like. It's unlikely that they'll be able to find us with just that, especially since my friend gave them a lot of dead ends, and they don't seem to be looking for us so hard anymore because there haven't been any other incidents, but still…"

Takeru stared at the Chosen of Knowledge for several moments as he tried to process what he was hearing. He had heard a lot about Koshiro's online friends, but the latest information just seemed too impossible. The very idea that some kid on the Internet could lead _government agencies_ astray was just too unbelievable. It was like something out of a movie, not something that could actually _happen_. It was something that spies or terrorists did, not some kid who graduated college when others his age were in elementary school. If Koshiro believed it, it must have been true, but it begged the question - just who was this kid? "You… know some pretty scary people, Koshiro."

"Yes, Miyako is a very scary person," Chibimon said, with a sage nod.

Takeru paused at that and stared at the little dragon Digimon, then covered his mouth to stifle his chuckles, lest the girl hear him. "N-no, that's not what I meant. I mean… this guy is a _kid_, right? And he's messing around with the _government_? That's pretty… incredible."

Koshiro shifted uncomfortably. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true because, uh… well…" He looked away from the others as he rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "He… kind of showed me how to do it too."

Taichi's eyes widened as he outright gawked at Koshiro. "Wait, you mean you can hack into government computers now? For real?"

Koshiro nodded, only able to glance briefly at his friends' surprised faces. He knew that they would not judge him harshly for what he did, but it made him nervous to admit he was performing highly illegal activities. He was only glad his mother did not seem to be in earshot at the moment. "I've only done it twice – first to see if I could, and the second time to see if that giant egg Hikari summoned over the school was in their database."

Hikari felt tension creep into her body at the very thought that she might have inadvertently put them all in danger. "Was it…?" At seeing Koshiro shake his head, she held her chest and sighed out her tension.

"Fortunately, it seems they haven't linked that incident to us and Digimon," Koshiro said. "So far, we haven't done anything since Diablomon to bring their attention back towards us, so we should be safe."

"I guess that makes sense," Yamato said. "It may be obvious to _us_ that there's a connection, but no one else'd have any reason to think a giant floating egg would be in any way related to a giant orange dinosaur or a blue and white wolf."

"J-just the same, it sounds _really_ dangerous," Jou said as he adjusted his glasses. "I-it should be done _sparingly_!"

Takeru nodded and flashed Koshiro a grin. "Still, that's really awesome! And it means we've got more options now."

Mimi's expression was thoughtful as she looked towards the bedroom door. "Would it _really_ be bad if they found out? Isn't the government supposed to protect us? Maybe they could help us somehow…"

"No way!" Daisuke said in a near shout. "Don't you watch movies? If the government found out about Digimon, they'd want to weaponize 'em to use against other countries, or another country would want to enslave 'em like the Digimon Kaiser did and conquer the world!" He paused, his eyes widening. "Holy crap, that's probably what he's doing! First the Digital World then Earth!"

Koshiro rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know…"

The bedroom door opened a crack. "You guys are too noisy!" Miyako shouted, her voice as sharp as thorns. "I need quiet to concentrate, and besides there's a _patient_ in here with me you know."

Takeru jumped at the sound of Miyako's voice and turned to her, feeling a bit guilty. While he had not said anything _bad_ about her, he still felt partially responsible. "Sorry."

"We'll be more quiet," Sora said softly. She cast an apologetic look towards the bedroom door despite the fact that she had not been among those talking, and Miyako would be unable to see her.

A slip of paper slid out from the sliver of space between the bedroom door and frame. "Koshiro, I need more parts than what I brought along with me," Miyako said, her voice calm. "Please bring me back what's on this list. Thanks."

Koshiro stared at the list for a moment before he took it, flinching when she immediately slammed the door shut afterward. He blinked at the closed door, staring for a moment before he read the piece of paper, a frown slowly forming. "I guess it's going to take a while for Miyako to finish the repairs."

Hikari looked towards Koshiro's bedroom, disliking how helpless she felt at that moment. "So what do we do while we wait?"

"I know!" Mimi said eagerly before snatching up the list from Koshiro's hand. "We'll all go shopping for that's on the list! It's better than just standing around here doing nothing, and I'm really great at shopping."

Taichi shared a grimace with Yamato. "Shopping?"

Yamato glanced to Taichi. "I don't think she knows what kind of store we're talking about…"

"No, that's not it," Taichi whispered in Yamato's ear. "She's talking about _shopping._ You know, shopping with _girls_."

"I know," Yamato said, with a slight grin. "But I don't think she realizes there's a difference."

"Now let's see…" Mimi said as she scanned the list. She hummed softly then tilted her head to the right, as she looked it over a second time. After a moment, she cocked her head to the left and tried again. Finally, turned the list upside-down before her eyes crossed and she let out out a perplexed sound. "What _is_ all this stuff?"

Koshiro took the list back from Mimi with a chuckle. "Don't worry, I can buy everything myself. I should be back in an hour or so."

As Koshiro left to comply with Miyako's demands, the rest of the Chosen stood about in his apartment, an awkward silence hovering over them. The atmosphere was heavy from the new information that weighted them all down. The very idea that the government had shown interest in them – it was nearly overwhelming for the Chosen Children. In a way, it made the days of dealing with psychotic puppets, badly singing egomaniacs, and huge demon vampires with inappropriately placed faces look like simpler times.

The Chosen of Hope looked at the others as he stood in silence. While part of him thought Mimi had a point, most of him agreed that it was a bad idea. As fantastical as Daisuke's fears sounded, they were probably very close to the truth. Digimon could be very dangerous – the Chosen Children knew this better than anyone. There was a good chance that the government would decide that Digimon were _too_ dangerous to have around, or worse – decide that _they_ wanted the Digimon for their own purposes. There was the very real possibility that the Digimon would be confiscated, turned into weapons for whatever war was in style at the time, or worst of all, experimented on.

Takeru could lose Patamon _again_.

Takeru snatched television remote from off the table and looked for something to chase such dark thoughts from his mind, though he did turn the volume down low so that it would not disturb Miyako. He noticed the curious looks the others sent his way and smiled sheepishly. "Hope you don't mind."

"I don't," Daisuke said, "but Inoe will probably give us all one of her lectures or yell at us again."

"I'll keep it down," Takeru said, lightly. He flipped through the channels looking for something interesting when he stopped on a news station. "Hm?"

The instant Daisuke caught sight of the television, he snatched the remote from Takeru's hand. "Hold it! I wanna see this!" He turned the volume up louder than what was necessary, immediately forgetting about the fact that he just warned the other boy about Miyako's reaction in favor of the news broadcast.

A female reporter in her thirties was in front of a school that Takeru failed to recognize. The place looked rather fancy, as the reporter was in some sort of foyer with well-manicured grass and a large ornate fountain behind her. The only hint that the place was a school were the students wandering about in the background, each dressed in light gray uniforms accented with a school pin.

One of the students stood with the reporter – a young man with shoulder-length and neatly trimmed lavender hair and gray eyes. The smile he gave the reporter was as charming, as though he was perfectly at ease being in front of the camera despite carrying a massive gold trophy that was at least half his height.

They tuned into the program while the reporter was laughing, with the student quietly, almost modestly, laughed along with her, as though she and the boy standing beside her had just shared an amusing joke that the Chosen missed. "Well, be that as it may, winning this award at such a young age is simply astonishing. Do you think you'll dedicate more time to this miracle program of yours?"

The corner of the student's mouth quirked upward as he let out a small chuckle. "Well, it's certainly one possibility. I'm truly honored to win such an award, but as a full-time student, I can't really say."

"Well," the reporter said cheerfully, "I've heard that you're captain of your school's soccer team." She paused for a moment, as though building up dramatic suspense. "Perhaps your coach would be willing to let you retire?"

The student blinked at the reporter as his expression took on the air of innocent confusion. "Hm? Retire?"

"Daisuke, Daisuke!" Chibimon said as he grabbed his Chosen's arm. "That's Ichijouji, right? Ken Ichijouji!"

"Yeah, it is!" Daisuke shouted, unable to contain his excitement. However, a moment later a frown marred his features. "Wait, what? Retire? From _soccer?_! He can't retire! I haven't played a game against him yet!"

Daisuke's voice was so loud that the reporter's words were barely audible to the Chosen in the room. "So that you can spend your time focusing on making more scientific marvels," she said cheerfully.

"That's right, that's right!" Chibimon said. "How can Ken Ichijouji retire before Daisuke's beaten him at soccer!?"

The student, Ken Ichijouji, chuckled politely. "Oh, I assure you, I wouldn't _dream_ of retiring."

The reporter laughed lightly then leaned back to put a hand on her hip as she gave the boy an approving nod. "Well, I suppose your team _would_ be lost without you, but some people believe if you focus more time in computer science you might wind up winning a Nobel Prize one day."

Daisuke glared daggers into the reporter and freed a hand to shake a fist at the television. "Stop trying to talk him into quitting!"

Takeru stared at the news broadcast before turning to Daisuke, surprised by the other boy's ire. "Just who is this guy–?"

"Ken Ichijouji!" Chibimon said. "Daisuke's _rival_!"

Ken continued to smile as he shifted the weight of the trophy in his hands. "That may be so, but I'm afraid I simply cannot bring myself to abandon my responsibilities. I have yet to miss a game, and I do not intend to start."

Taichi laughed as he took in Daisuke's intense expression. "You're still obsessing about that guy?"

Daisuke clenched his hand around the remote and nodded sharply as he continued to stare intently at the television. "Of course! They say he's the best soccer player who ever lived, but I'm going to beat him someday!"

"I suppose so," the reporter said, "but I doubt anyone would hold it against you if you changed your mind." She laughed lightly.

Chibimon growled. "Daisuke would!"

"You better believe I would!" Daisuke shouted. "I'd hunt him down myself and keep going after him until he played a game with me!"

The door to Koshiro's bedroom opened slightly and from it came Miyako's booming voice. "_If you can't keep quiet, then get out!_" Her harsh voice completely drowned out whatever else Ken and the reporter discussed. "I'm having enough trouble working with insufficient parts and a _critical_ time crunch without listening to Motomiya gushing on and on about his mancrush on Ichijouji!"

Daisuke yelped and jumped, only to lose his balance and fall roughly onto the floor, dropping the remote in the process, which changed the channel to masked fighters battling against a rubber suit monster. His cheeks turned pink as he gawked towards the bedroom. "C-c-c-crush!? I-I don't have a _crush_ on Ichijouji! I like Hi–" He practically bit his tongue when stopping himself, his eyes instinctively drifting towards Hikari before he forced himself to look away.

Miyako let out a snort, with one lone, narrowed eye barely visible between the door and frame, which rolled with exasperation. "_That_ crush isn't exactly a secret _either_, Motomiya. Either keep it in your pants and keep quiet or _leave_." With that, the door slammed louder than ever.

Daisuke's face went from pink to bright red. He tried to come up with a retort, but all he could do was sputter.

Hikari slowly removed her hands from her ears, as Miyako's yelling had been too loud for her to tolerate. She looked at the door, feeling rather awkward. "Maybe we should go," she said quietly. "There isn't much we can do here anyway."

Chibimon glared daggers into the door, as though his gaze could somehow get through it to pierce Miyako. He grunted in frustration, knowing well enough that now was not the time to teach her a lesson, so instead he tugged on Daisuke's shirt. "It's okay, Daisuke!"

"I think Hikari has a point," Yamato said. "Much as I hate to admit it, I don't think any of us can help them right now. We may as well go rest up and wait until we hear news – hopefully good news."

Mimi shifted in place as she looked around at her friends. "I guess… There isn't anything for us to do just standing around here except talk."

Taichi exhaled deeply as he crossed his arms. "Yeah. It's not like we can go after the next Digimentals right now anyway."

Takeru slowly looked around as the others began migrating towards the front door before his eyes settled on Daisuke. While he was still confused about this supposed 'rival' of Daisuke's and why the other boy cared so much, he imagined that the mood for conversation was fairly dead. Miyako had seen to that, though he could not exactly blame her for getting angry. "I guess… all we can do is wait and hope."

* * *

><p>The Kido apartment was quiet when Shin returned home late from his internship at the hospital. His normally neatly trimmed green hair lost its glossy shine, many strands jutting out in frazzled fans, and both his glasses and clothes were in need of a good cleaning. "I'm home," he said when he took his shoes off in the doorway, not daring to raise his voice too loud, as he was uncertain if anyone in his family was still awake at this hour.<p>

Much to Shin's surprise, Jou was sitting quietly on the sofa in the living room, the lights set to dim. His younger was slouched back against the cushions, his eyes fixed on the television screen. Normally, that would be an ordinary sight, but what made it worrying was the fact that the television was off.

Beside Jou was his duffle bag, which served his medical kit. He made it a policy to carry that bag with him to every time the Chosen gathered for a meeting, and it came in handy more often than not. It lay haphazardly on its side, the zipper partially open, which allowed a few rolls of gauze and a sealed bottle of alcohol to fall to the floor.

Jou did not answer Shin's greeting. He did not even look up or give any indication that he realized his brother was there at all.

The sight brought Shin completely to a halt. He stood in the entryway staring at Jou, holding one shoe half-off his foot until he started losing his balance. He quickly swapped out his shoes for slippers before moving swiftly into the living room by his brother's side. "Jou? Are you okay?"

Seconds ticked by and Jou remained silent and unresponsive. Finally, before Shin could start to panic, he blinked and turned his head in his older brother's direction, though he did not raise his eyes. "Welcome home."

Shin plopped down onto the sofa beside Jou. "Did something happen? You don't look so good."

Jou's response was slow in coming, but at least he did not seem distant this time. His expression was just a little tight, hinting at some internal debate he had over the answer. Finally, he looked away, returning his gaze to the blank television screen. "I couldn't help the injured Guardromon."

Shin blinked. "Guardromon? You mean another one of your Digimon got hurt?" He was unfamiliar with the name, but anything that ended in 'mon' almost certainly meant Digimon. He rooted around in his briefcase. "Well, good thing I got more of these." He pulled out an orange colored bottle of pills and held it out to Jou.

Jou turned to look at the prescription pills. He was strongly considering telling Shin that they were no longer needed, but stopped himself. His brother was taking a huge risk, putting his entire future on the line for their sakes. The thought humbled the Chosen of Honesty enough to accept the pills even if they would never be used. "Thank you."

Shin reached out to clasp his little brother's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Hey, it'll be okay. Believe me, I know how hard it is seeing patients come in, especially if you know them, but after a while, it gets easier, you know? And you know you can just ask me or dad if you need any help or a second opinion."

Jou had no reply for Shin – he did not really feel as though he could. It felt impossible to explain the turbulent thoughts churning through his mind right now, particularly when he was not even certain himself of what he was feeling.

While it was true that a large part of the pressure to become a doctor came from his family, one of the things that helped keep Jou motivated about such a career was the hope that his education could help the Digimon as well. After seeing so many injuries and death that he could have prevented if _only_ he had the skills, the Chosen of Honesty had taken his studies even more seriously than before. Those efforts finally paid off when he had tended to Tailmon and Palmon; it was proof that he was accomplishing something, that he was useful.

Or so he thought.

"Digimon heal after evolving," Jou muttered. "Why did I never notice that...?" When _that_ bombshell happened, the Chosen of Honesty had been stunned, bewildered even, before a terrible crushing realization settled on top of him.

All Jou's efforts had been pointless.

Still, Jou had tried to recover from it. He had told himself that even if the Chosen Digimon did not need him to heal them, surely other Digimon they came across would. His efforts still had a point.

Then something else happened to shake Jou's faith. At least with Palmon and Tailmon he could say that he eased their suffering and made it easier for them to recover. With the Guardromon, there was not a _damn_ thing he could do.

Jou's expression darkened along with his thoughts. He noticed Shin looking at him with obvious concern. The sense that he was worrying his brother made him divert his gaze. "Y-yeah. I... I just need... Gomamon. I need to find Gomamon and it'll be okay."

Not that he was ever that useful _with_ Gomamon. For all the talk of him being the leader of the Chosen Children, _Taichi_ or _Yamato_ fit that role far better than he did. They were the ones who could evolve their partners to Ultimate. They were the ones who could combine their Digimon into Omegamon. They were the ones who did the heavy fighting. Taichi and Yamato were the ones that everyone depended on, not _Jou_. When Diabolomon had attacked, _Jou_ had been taking a test, completely oblivious about the bombs that were readying to fall down onto their heads. Once again, the leader was useless.

It was worse without Gomamon. Without his partner, Jou felt as though he was slipping away. He never had such self-destructive thoughts with Gomamon. Now that his best friend was gone, he was truly realizing just how useless he was.

"Gomamon," Jou mumbled.

Shin wrapped his arm around Jou's shoulders, the half-hug bringing the younger boy back to the present. "Hey, it'll be okay," he said softly. "You and your friends took on much worse things than a kid on a power trip. Gomamon will be back raiding the kitchen for midnight snacks and hogging the bath tub again before you know it."

Jou hesitated before he started to tremble. "T-th… that's right… Gomamon will be…!" His vision grew blurred as he felt a wetness forming in his eyes that quickly began to trickle down his cheeks. The Chosen of Honesty sniffed hard before he removed his glasses, wiping furiously at the wetness in his eyes. "Gomamon–!"

"Oh geeze," Shin said in a near yelp, startled by the sudden onslaught of tears. He used both arms this time to give Jou a proper hug, patting his little brother on the back. "It's okay, Jou. It's going to be okay."

Jou's body shook as he sniffled again. He could not explain himself at all to Shin. He just felt as though he was coming apart at the seams. Even as he chided himself for worrying his brother, he found himself unable to stop the flow of emotions that he had bottled up inside. "O-okay, it's… all going to be… _okay_…"

The words felt like a lie even when Jou repeated them. Despite the fact that he and the other Chosen Children had made it through impossible odds, somehow those memories offered little comfort. Every step of the way on their adventure, Gomamon had been by his side, protecting him, and helping him grow stronger. Without Gomamon or even the slightest idea where his partner was, the Chosen of Honesty was lost, helpless with the knowledge that he was no use to anyone right now – especially not Gomamon. He was completely useless.


	13. Chapter 12

Hikari yawned and rubbed the haze of sleep from her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. She felt so sluggish since she got up that it was only due to Tailmon's efforts that she managed to make it to her usual spot on the bleachers on time. A part of her just wanted to lie down, regardless of where she was or how cold and hard the metal seats were, but she managed to suppress the urge.

Tailmon flicked her ear before she turned to look at Hikari as she sat on the bleachers by her partner's side. She knew that Hikari had a rough night – one of many, recently. It troubled her. Not to mention the Chosen of Light's lack of sleep made getting up early in the morning for school more of a bother than it should have been.

Hikari tried to focus on the players practicing on the field, but one boy blurred into another at times, making them little more than indistinct caricatures. Only Daisuke really stood out, as he consistently kicked the soccer ball farthest, and kept contact with it the longest during their practice games. She was happy that he was the star of the team, almost as much as he was, but she knew it would have been better for him if the others on the team did not resent him for it at times.

Tailmon continued to watch Hikari closely rather than pay attention to the practice. Eventually, a silent sigh escaped her, and she turned her gaze towards the sky, seeking answers that she knew she would not discover hiding behind a random cloud. It was times like these that left her completely at a loss. She could take down an enemy without hesitation. She had been fighting all her life, and she was the best at what she did. Dealing with people and their emotions, however, were difficult. It left her with regrets and a few ghosts haunting her, but it was moments like these with Hikari that were the worst of all.

Of all the Chosen Digimon, it seemed as though Tailmon was the one who had the most trouble helping her Chosen Child emotionally. It made her envy the other Digimon at times. While they could calm their children down, it was usually Hikari serving to balance _her_ when she was overly stressed by one thing or another.

No matter how much Tailmon wanted to defeat the nightmares plaguing Hikari, she was powerless against them.

The sight of a familiar face entering the school grounds brought Tailmon out of her thoughts. Her friend was easily recognizable, even if he stopped wearing Patamon on his head as a hat.

"Ah, Hikari," Tailmon said, thankful for something to talk about. "I see Takeru. Patamon must be around, too."

Hikari looked up, initially startled by Patamon's absence, but she waited to comment on it until Takeru came over. "Good morning, Takeru. Where's Patamon?"

"He's around," Takeru said, with a grin. "After Miyako gave me an earful the other day, we decided to try and copy Tailmon a little." He paused as she cheerful expression he wore faded, the corner of his mouth twisting slightly in distaste. "I'm not too happy about it, but it's for his own safety…"

Hikari's eyes widened. "For his own safety?"

Takeru hesitated, feeling guilty for worrying Hikari, before he looked away. "If the government really is looking in to Digimon, and us…"

Hikari understood instantly. "Oh…" Her gaze briefly flickered to Tailmon before she looked back at Takeru. "But no one around here realized Patamon wasn't just a hat, right? That should make it okay."

"But imagine if they did," Takeru said, his voice tight. "And having him out in the open was just begging for that to happen." Not to mention the fact that Patamon had already been exposed once to those two obnoxious boys who insulted Hikari. "At the time, I didn't care, but now…"

Hikari reached out to take Takeru's hand and gave it a squeeze. She tried to think of a way to put his fears at ease, but everything she thought of seemed too flimsy an argument to offer any reassurance. "I'll be okay." She smiled a little. "Tailmon can give Patamon pointers how to hide."

Tailmon nodded before she glanced over her shoulder with a sly grin. "Not that he can hide from me. Right, Patamon?"

Patamon locked eyes with Tailmon from a gap between the bleachers, as he snuck underneath them early on during the conversation. After a brief startled moment, he chuckled and flashed his friend a grin. "It's still a hundred years too early for me to be a match for you, right, Tailmon?"

Tailmon laughed along with her friend. "Of course." When the snickering died down, she turned back to Hikari and Takeru. "Anyway, wasn't there something you wanted to ask him, Hikari?"

It took Hikari a second to recall what Tailmon meant. "Oh! That's right! Takeru, what do you think about joining Daisuke on the soccer team?"

Takeru blinked. "Hm? Me?"

Hikari nodded. "I think you'd do great on the team." She spared a glance around them to ensure that neither Daisuke nor Chibimon were in earshot, before she leaned in closer to Takeru's ear, lowering her voice to barely a whisper. "Besides, Daisuke really needs a friend on the team."

Takeru's expression grew thoughtful as he considered Hikari's request. It was not as though he was particularly opposed to the idea. He was fairly good at soccer, thanks to his brother and Taichi. A part of him insisted that he simply did not have time for school clubs when being Chosen Child was a priority, but he had to admit that helping Daisuke was _also_ a priority. When he considered things in that way, it seemed like it would be best to do as Hikari asked. "He won't mind? I mean, he might think I'm butting in."

Hikari shook her head and the corner of her mouth tilted upward. "Daisuke is unhappy that no one else at on the team is taking the game seriously, especially since the coach made him the team captain. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to have someone else on the team trying his hardest like he is."

Takeru slowly nodded as he returned Hikari's smile. "All right, if you say so. I'll go talk to the coach then!" With that, he set his bag down beside his friends before he hurried across the field.

"Takeru will be a good addition." Tailmon said. She could hardly care less about how well the soccer team did, and she certainly held no school pride for the school's name. However, soccer was important to Daisuke, which made it important to Hikari, and thus it was important to her as well.

Hikari's expression was relaxed as she watched Takeru talk with the rather grumpy looking older man who acted as coach. "Yeah. Takeru has gotten very strong these past two years, so I'm sure he'll do well on the team, and I'm sure Daisuke will appreciate having him there."

Patamon puffed out his chest with pride as he thought of all the training he and Takeru had done alongside Hikari and Tailmon. "That's right. Takeru is much stronger and faster than anyone on that team could ever hope to be."

Tailmon gave Patamon a sly smile. "Who knows? It might even embarrass the others to get shown up by the rookie. They might actually pretend to get their act together."

Hikari covered her mouth to hide a giggle. "That would be pretty funny, especially since half the team is still giving Daisuke a hard time."

Patamon's amusement turned to a scowl as he gave the team an appraising look. "Takeru isn't going to let them get away with that." He was not about to let any of the kids at school bully Daisuke or Hikari if he had anything to say about it, but he was much more limited in what he could do about it when compared to Takeru. He glanced at Tailmon, knowing that she felt the same.

Tailmon shared a knowing look with Patamon before she turned her focus to Takeru. "Looks like the coach is letting Takeru join." She chuckled briefly as she watched the Chosen of Hope jog onto the field. "Or rather, 'giving him a chance'."

Hikari leaned forward in her seat as she focused her energy on paying attention to Takeru and Daisuke. She felt a touch worried when Daisuke shot Takeru a confused then briefly annoyed look before charging after the soccer ball. "Come on, Daisuke…," she whispered. "Don't be jealous…"

Patamon discreetly reached over and patted Hikari's arm with his wing. "Don't worry, Hikari. Takeru knows what he's doing."

Hikari spared a brief smile towards Patamon, but her attention quickly returned to the soccer field. It troubled her that Daisuke looked a lot more unhappy about Takeru's presence than she anticipated.

Tailmon flicked her ears as she listened to the coach sort the players into two groups, sending them to opposite sides of the field. "I guess he's going to have them play against each other."

Hikari clasped her hands together, silently praying that Daisuke and Takeru would wind up on the same side. She let out a low groan when the coach sent them in different directions. "Oh no…"

"Well, _that's_ going to get Daisuke's competitiveness going," Tailmon said, watching the boys take their places on the field. "But at least Takeru'll be able to show Daisuke that he can actually play."

Hikari rubbed her fingers together as she tried to calm the growing sense of anxiety gnawing at the back of her neck. "I just hope Daisuke doesn't get _too_ competitive with Takeru…"

"Takeru can handle it," Patamon said cheerfully. "Just watch. Takeru will win Daisuke over yet."

Daisuke raced across the field at top speed, completely outpacing the other boys on his team. He laughed and shot Takeru a smirk. "How's that?"

Takeru's legs moved with surprising speed and precision to suddenly swipe the ball from Daisuke. He swerved around the other boy in a wide arc before darting towards the other side of the field. "Pretty good!"

Daisuke stumbled a couple of steps as he gawked at Takeru, startled by how easily the other boy outmaneuvered him, but he was only caught off guard for a moment before he tore across the field after Takeru. "Hey! You think you can swipe the ball and get away with it?"

Takeru easily dodged the other players on Daisuke's team, leaving them stumbling and staring after him as he charged straight for the goal. A glance over his shoulder informed him that Daisuke was closing the distance between them, which meant he needed to take the shot before the other boy caught up to him. Roughly aiming, he gave the ball a mighty kick and was satisfied to see it soar over the goalie's head, hitting the net hard.

Daisuke slowed to a stop as he stared at Takeru and the confused goalie with wide eyes. He barely noticed the coach blowing the whistle and tossing the ball back into play. He gave the Chosen of Hope an appraising look laced with a mixture of irritation and admiration, unsure of what to think of this new development. "You're not bad," he said at last before he hurried back into position.

Takeru followed suit with a smile on his face. "Thanks. My brother taught me."

Daisuke cast the other boy a curious look before his chest puffed up with pride. "Oh yeah? Well Senpai was the one who taught me everything I know, and he was the star MVP, so he showed me a lot of awesome trips!"

"Yeah, he and my brother were on the same team," Takeru said. "Whenever I came to visit my brother, we'd go play soccer." He wanted to mention that their Digimon would play as well, and they found the perfect secluded spot for all four of them to play without someone spotting them, but there were other people in earshot. After that fateful day in August, his parents started letting him visit Yamato a lot more than before. That adventure had actually changed their lives drastically, many ways for the better.

Back at the bleachers, Tailmon's ears twitched, as she caught hints of their conversation. "Daisuke seems impressed." She smiled wryly. "So does the coach."

Hikari allowed herself to relax at the news. "Thank goodness… I was starting to worry for a minute there."

Patamon beamed, feeling as though he might burst with pride. "I told you Takeru could do it."

Hikari smiled as well as she watched Daisuke's scowls and suspicious looks melt away into grins and playful banter with Takeru. She leaned back against the seat behind her as she watched her friends run up and down along the soccer field after the ball, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. She lost track of how many points were scored on either side, but both Takeru and Daisuke had a chance to show up the other members of the team, who appeared surprised at best and annoyed at worst.

It soon became very obvious that the game was not one group of boys verses another, but a match between Daisuke and Takeru. The others on the field were little more than obstacles in the pair's path, as both Chosen Children zipped around them to score and interfere with the other boy's progress.

Tailmon could not help her wry smile as Chibimon cheered every time a score was made, regardless of who did it. She turned back towards Patamon, who sat quietly beside her. "I'm surprised you're not cheering too."

Patamon cocked his head slightly and gave his friend a playful smirk. "I don't _need_ to cheer. Takeru is so good that the entire team could be against him and he'd _still_ win."

"My, my…" Tailmon's smile became rather sly, her tone teasing. "Too afraid to be seen cheering like a fanboy?"

Patamon's cheeks took a rosy hue before he turned away, discreetly using a wing to shield his blush from Tailmon's gaze. Somehow she could always see right through him. "O-of course not! I'm not a child anymore you know."

Hikari jerked as the piercing sound of the coach's whistle snapped her awake. She had failed to notice when she closed her eyes. It seemed to her that she had just leaned against the bench behind her for only a moment, but her back ached enough from the awkward position that it made her wonder how long she had been sitting there. She bit back a groan so as to not draw attention from Tailmon or Patamon as she stretched and tried to work the kinks out of her sore muscles.

Daisuke lightly punched Takeru's shoulder as the two boys hurried back to the bleachers. He was in high spirits, as he managed to eke out a victory over Takeru at the last second, which made his win all the sweeter. "Man, that was _awesome!_ We're gonna _cream_ the other team at the next game!"

Takeru laughed as he kept up with Daisuke. Adrenaline kept his fatigue away enough for him to enjoy the moment and how happy the other Chosen Child was. He was glad that Daisuke did not notice that he had purposefully slipped up his footwork just enough for the other boy to steal the ball and get the win. Winning the match did not matter to him like it did to Daisuke. His entire goal was to prove his ability in the sport and bond with the other boy, which he succeeded in spectacularly. "It was a lot of fun! It feels good to actually play soccer again instead of just jogging."

"Alright, alright!" the coach said, with a bright laugh. He seemed to be ignoring the faces on the other players as he grinned at Takeru and Daisuke. "This seems to be a good time as any to give the big news!"

Most of the other members of the team seemed uninterested in whatever announcement the coach had for them, instead standing about in tired or listless poses, looking around as though they were all simply waiting to be dismissed. A few boys muttered amongst themselves in grumbling tones about the sweat they had worked up thanks to Daisuke and Takeru and how the two boys made them look bad.

It all made Takeru arch his eyebrow slightly as he regarded the rest of the team, before he returned his attention back to the coach. He was not particularly interested in the other boys, so the fact that they might be irritated that actually had to _exert_ themselves during practice was not his problem for him.

"Okay, settle down now," the coach said, cutting off the whispers. "I've got the news on who we have our next practice game against." His smile grew even wider than before. "And I know at least _one_ of you is going to be _excited_."

Daisuke's eyes widened when the coach made eye contact with him and a certain suspicion began to form in his mind. "Who is it?"

The coach's raised his eyebrows as he gave Daisuke a knowing look brimming with excitement. "_Tamachi_."

Daisuke felt his pulse quicken, his eyes widening. "Y-you mean the team with the genius kid Ken Ichijouji?"

"The one and _only_," the coach said.

A faint tremor ran through Daisuke's body that quickly turned into quaking as his enthusiasm built until he jumped into the air with a mighty whoop and pumped his fist. "_Alright_! We get to take on the champ! This is the best news _ever_!"

"Now, now," the coach said with an undercurrent of laughter, "don't get too excited. It's just a _practice_ game, so it's not going to count towards the all school finals."

"Yeah, sure," Daisuke said, his tone distracted. "I got it, I got it."

Takeru cast a curious look in Daisuke's direction. He was still trying to figure out what made Ken Ichijouji so important to the other boy. He decided to ask Hikari about Ken later, and see if she had any insight for him.

One of the boys let out an overly loud sigh. "Are we _done_ yet?" A nasal whine permeated his every word as he rolled his head and eyes back dramatically. "I need to hit the shower before class!"

"I don't want to stand in the hall," another boy said.

The coach paused, his enthusiasm diminished as nearly every member of the soccer club let out some sort of complaint. He sighed and waved his hand towards the school buildings. "Yeah, yeah. You're all dismissed. I'll see you tomorrow."

Daisuke darted off towards the bleachers in an instant, so overflowing with vigor that he had to perform a cartwheel on the way. "Hikari-chan!"

Hikari smiled brightly at Daisuke's enthusiasm. "I heard." Or rather, Tailmon heard and relayed the information to her. "Congratulations, Daisuke!"

Daisuke snatched up the duffle bag with Chibimon inside at the end of the bleachers then slid onto the seat beside Hikari. "This is great! I'm going to get to show off to the genius champ! Maybe… maybe afterward he'll give me some pointers on how to improve my game, or at least give me an autograph." He practically quivered with excitement and pumped his fists fiercely into the air with a gleeful cry.

Chibimon hopped out of the bag briefly before waved his hands, excitedly. "Yay, yay~! I'm so happy for Daisuke~!"

Takeru smiled at his friends as he reached the bleachers at a more sedate pace. His expression turned wry as he sat down. "Well, I guess this means I'll have to practice even more so I won't slow you down."

Daisuke vigorously rubbed Chibimon's head. "You bet!" He flashed Takeru a grin. "Don't worry. I'll teach you all the tricks." He paused as his eyes suddenly lit up. "Hey, I have an idea! Let's practice here after school today."

Hikari blinked and cocked her head slightly. "Isn't there a practice after school today anyway?"

"Yeah," Daisuke said, "but I meant _after_ that." His enthusiasm diminished a little, nearly taking away his smile. "Those other guys always try to leave early or skip out so we never get a good workout like before school."

"Sounds good," Takeru said as he returned Daisuke's grin with one of his own. "We don't know when Miyako will have any word for us on that Guardromon, and it's definitely better than waiting."

"We can always ask her right now," Patamon said. He pointed past the others towards the walkway leading towards the school. "She's right over there."

Hikari let out a curious hum as she quickly spotted Miyako's distinctive lavender hair. "That's strange. Isn't she usually here earlier?" She took another look at the other girl when she noticed something amiss, her eyes widening slightly as she figured out what it was. "And she's not wearing her uniform…"

"Hm?" Takeru turned to crane his head. He paused to take in the sight of Miyako before his smile slipped away, a frown replacing it. "She looks exhausted."

Hikari furrowed her brow. The sight of Miyako out of uniform should not have been strange to her, but the other girl was always so rigid about wearing it, that it made her worry a little. "I hope she wasn't up all night…"

A sour expression tainted Daisuke's enthusiasm, and he directed a narrow gaze in Miyako's direction. A beat later, his smile returned, as enthusiastic as ever, as he hopped up onto his feet. "Anyway!" He turned to his friends. "We better get showered up and changed before we're late."

Takeru nodded as he picked up his bag. "Right." He turned to his partner as he got up as well. "Let's go, Patamon."

Patamon nodded before he ducked back under the bleachers and out of sight, searching for a more discreet route to follow his partner.

Hikari got up and paused to stretch out the kinks in her muscles. "I'll go ask Miyako about Guardromon."

Tailmon nodded. "We'll let you know if there's any word." A second later, she disappeared amidst the branches of a nearby tree, leaving no sign that she had ever been there at all.

Takeru tipped his head towards his friends before he followed Daisuke to the locker rooms at a jog.

Hikari moved briskly to catch up with Miyako, though she hardly needed to bother, as Miyako's movements were sluggish and slow. She nearly caught up to the other girl when she noticed Iori call out to Miyako.

"Miyako, you're late," Iori said as he approached the class representative, his eyebrows furrowed with concern. "I was coming to look for–" The boy stopped, freezing in mid-step once he stood front of Miyako. The sight of her sent both eyebrows shooting up to disappear amidst his bangs. After a moment, a frown marred his face, turning his expression severe as he stared _hard_ at the exhausted girl.

Miyako took one look at Iori and groaned. "I know, I know. Don't say it. I didn't have time last night to get my uniform washed."

Iori crossed his arms as he fixed the other student with a look of stern disapproval. "Miyako. I understand that you are excited about the new OVA being released, but _honestly_… These late night marathons of yours–"

Miyako waved her hands in front of Iori while hissing harshly through her teeth. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She looked around then quickly spotted Hikari. She raised her voice to a louder level than usual, her tone sweet enough to cause cavities, as she plastered an exaggerated smile on her face. "Good morning, Yagami! How are you today? How long have you been standing there?"

Iori blinked at Miyako's response before he turned to look at Hikari. "Ah, good morning. I apologize for not properly greeting you, I did not see you."

"Good morning," Hikari said. She wondered what that exchange was about, but felt it too impolite to pry. "It's alright. I just got here." She focused on Miyako. "Um, I–"

"The repairs aren't finished yet," Miyako said quickly. "But I've got it stabilized and I'll have it up and running again by tonight at the latest." She glanced at Iori then inclined her head towards Hikari. "_That's_ why I couldn't get my uniform clean in time for school. I'm doing a favor for a friend."

"Oh, I see," Iori said slowly, his harsh expression replaced with one of mild surprise. "I apologize, I should not have assumed." He hesitated for a moment. "Still… you should not work yourself to such extremes."

Miyako waved dismissively. "It's fine, it's fine. Don't worry about it. I'll go to bed early after I've finished."

Iori's gaze narrowed on Miyako for a long moment before he gave a faint nod. "All right," he said slowly. "I'll leave it at that."

"Great," Miyako said. "Because we'll be late unless we get to class right now." She paused for a moment as she took a closer look at Hikari. "By the way, Yagami, you should get more sleep too."

Hikari jerked, surprised Miyako noticed, and tried to disarm the other girl's reproachful gaze with a smile. "I'll do my best."

"I agree that you _both_ should get some rest," Iori said before he proceeded towards the school doors. "After school, preferably."

As soon as Iori was halfway to the doors of the school, Miyako leaned towards Hikari to whisper in the other girl's ear. "Guardromon is out of critical condition, so don't worry about that. Tentomon is keeping an eye on it while we're at school, and he's going to email me at the first sign of problems. I have an excuse ready to go if that happens so I can leave school immediately."

Hikari nodded, relieved for Guardromon's sake and that Miyako had so much forethought. "Thank you for helping Guardromon."

Miyako straightened up just a little bit. "No problem." She beamed as she readjusted her glasses. "It's what I'm here for."

* * *

><p>Hikari stifled a yawn behind her hand as she plodded her way through the apartment complex to the Izumi residence. Taking a nap after school had been a mistake. She felt more tired now than she did before she laid down.<p>

Tailmon followed Hikari along the rooftops, hopping from building to building with amazing agility. She occasionally glanced down at Hikari, making certain that her partner was all right.

Taichi glanced back over his shoulder at Hikari after ringing the doorbell to the Izumi apartment, half worried that he might have lost his little sister since the last time he checked to make sure that she was still keeping pace with him. "You sure you're not coming down with something?"

Hikari stifled a yawn behind her hand before waving to Taichi in a dismissive gesture. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I just didn't get enough sleep last night."

Tailmon hopped down to land behind Taichi and Hikari, crossing her arms. "You haven't been sleeping well at all lately."

At that moment, Koshiro's mother opened the door. Yoshie peered outside, and then smiled. "Ah, yes, Koshiro's waiting."

Hikari felt relieved by the interruption, as she really did not feel like discussing the topic right now. After taking her shoes off in the doorway with her brother, she noticed that the other Chosen had already arrived and were gathered around in the living room. Even Takeru and Daisuke made it to the apartment before the Yagamis, despite how long the two boys spent practicing soccer after class was over.

It took a moment of looking around for Hikari to spot Koshiro sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table where his open laptop rested. "How's Guardromon doing?"

Daisuke shot up from his seat on the sofa with a big smile on his face. "Hikari-chan! Glad you could make it!"

Hikari found the energy to smile at Daisuke thanks to his immense enthusiasm. "Nice to see you again too, Daisuke." She glanced about as she entered the room and was momentarily startled by the sight of Jou sitting in the corner. He looked as if he had not slept well either, with bags under his eyes and his skin very pale. Even his slumped posture spoke of exhaustion, and his eyes seemed slightly dull.

Jou noticed that Hikari was looking his way and lifted his head just enough to meet his friend's eyes and give her a ghost of a smile. The expression lasted for barely a second before he turned his gaze back down at his hands, where he fidgeted with his Digivice – turning the small device over and over in his hand.

Tailmon hurried inside to join up with the rest of the Chosen Digimon while taking in who was present. She stopped and glanced around a second time before turning to Koshiro. "I take it that the Guardromon didn't wake up yet?"

Koshiro looked up from the laptop screen then shook his head. "Not yet." He turned his gaze back to his computer to make a few more keystrokes. "But Miyako and I have been working on something that we wanted to show all of you."

Yamato tilted his head as he leaned over the side of the couch, resting his elbows on the back. "On your laptop?"

Koshiro nodded. "I just finished making a program that'll allow us to get Guardromon's side of the story even if it can't tell us itself right now. Miyako is finishing up the last of the repairs as we speak."

The door to Koshiro's room suddenly burst open, swatting into Taichi's backside in the process, as he had been accidentally standing in the way. He staggered forward with a yelp and whirled around while covering his posterior. "Hey!"

"Okay!" Miyako said as she tugged on the straps of her overalls. "I've done all I can! Guardromon is still out, and it might not look very pretty right now, but it should be all set for the experiment."

Taichi rubbed his sore rump, frowning. "Next time, watch where you're slamming doors, Miyako."

Koshiro was on his feet in an instant, scooping up his laptop into his arms. "That's great, Miyako!"

Miyako readjusted her glasses and smiled with satisfaction. "Of course. Did you expect anything less?"

Sora peered into Koshiro's room and frowned. "How are we supposed to 'get his side' if he's not awake?"

Koshiro grinned as he entered the bedroom. "Follow me. If my program and Miyako's hardware installation works…"

"Of course it'll work," Miyako said. "If we can make D-Terminals from parts and old electronics then we can do this much."

A thick blue tarp covered nearly the entirety of the bedroom floor, stained with countless dark smears of grease and oil. Though the Guardromon rested at the center of the mess, the Digimon looked as if Miyako took out the time to scrub Guardromon clean and polish its chassis, its metal body glistening in the light. The gaping wounds that had been so painful for the children to look at before were gone without a trace, as though they had never existed in the first place.

Mimi smiled as she saw the state of Guardromon. "Wow, you did a great job, Miyako. Guardromon looks like new!"

Instead of looking pleased by the compliment, Miyako's smile twisted into an expression of distaste. "That's nice of you to say, but you don't have to sugarcoat it, Miss Tachikawa. I know this is not my best work. We couldn't find anything to match Guardromon's exact shade and type of metal – though that's to be expected since I'm working with alien materials – and the soldering is a bit rough since I had to be careful not to make too many sparks considering all the things in this room that could catch fire."

Mimi stared at Miyako for a moment, taken aback. Looking again at the Guardromon with a more critical eye, she could see what Miyako was talking about – the tiny ridges of lines made from the soldering, and the places where the color abruptly transitioned to a slightly different hue were there if one knew to look for them. She shook her head before she turned her gaze back to the younger girl. "Don't worry about it! You did a _wonderful_ job, and I'm sure Guardromon will appreciate it too!"

Miyako's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. "Th-thanks, but I'm still going to see if I can do better once we get some Digital World materials."

"Don't mind Inoe, Mimi," Daisuke said as his eyes rolled towards the ceiling. "She argues with the teachers if she doesn't get extra credit questions even if she's already got a perfect score. She's an overachiever."

Miyako folded her arms over her chest as she shot Daisuke an annoyed glance. "Better than an _under_achiever."

Daisuke's entire body flinched before he whirled towards Miyako, bristling. "What did you say?"

"No fighting you two, _please_," Sora said more sharply than she intended before quickly softened her voice. "Not here. Guardromon might be better physically, but it could still be mentally damaged." She looked away from Daisuke and Miyako after they had the good grace to appear chastised, and then turned her attention to Guardromon. She could not feel at ease about the wounded Digimon's health until it woke up.

Koshiro placed his laptop on his desk and hooked it up to a few wires that led into Guardromon's neck. "We'll know in a minute." He tapped away at the computer to make sure that the connection was in place. Once everyone squeezed themselves inside his cramped bedroom, he executed the program and immediately backed away from the screen so that the others could see it clearly. "Okay, this should playback the last few minutes of Guardromon's memory files."

The laptop flashed to life with a burst of static. The screen flickered for a few moments before the white noise parted, revealing a giant factory. The place was filled with machine Digimon, including other Guardromon. The various Guardromon went about their business patrolling the factory for about a minute before, suddenly there was a loud clang that caused all the Chosen to jump. The image on the screen swiveled around just in time to see the wall collapse. In that instant, a large cluster of Evil Rings flew in to the room and attached themselves to every Digimon they could.

The hands of the Guardromon flew up, as though the Digimon was trying to protect itself from the assault. Screams and chaos flooded the speakers, and the images on the screen blurred, as the Guardromon apparently attempted to escape. The image cleared briefly when an Evil Ring flew by, and attaching itself to a second Guardromon that had been apparently running alongside the one who had been injured.

The image fixed itself on the other Guardromon, whose eyes blazed an ugly shade of red. "Red Alert," it said, its voice monotone.

An explosion rocked the screen, turning everything into static and screeching noise that forced the Chosen to cover their ears. It took a while for the image to return, but it was distorted, barely rendering from blocks of mosaic into familiar shapes, such as a tiled floor covered in debris, and the dented arm of a Guardromon.

Before the image flickered out completely, the Guardromon had managed to focus on one last thing – a Digimon approaching it from where it lay on the floor. The machine Digimon had been a patchwork of gray pixels until the very last second before the screen finally went dark and silent.

An unpleasant hush settled over the room. At first, no one knew what to do except glance at one another or the still unconscious Guardromon.

Koshiro braved breaking the silence when he muttered that he saw something, though his voice was too quiet for the others to make out clearly. He rewound the recording to the last few seconds and, after a couple failed tries, froze it on the final image – Andromon with glowing red eyes.

"Andromon…," Hikari whispered, her voice wavering. "And all those Guardromon too… They're…!"

Anger, hot and bitter tasting coated Takeru's tongue, turning his words caustic when he managed to speak. "It was the Kaiser." He glared at the image. He could not see where the Evil Ring was in that single frame, but he had no doubt that one was there somewhere. "I knew it had to be him."

Taichi spat out a curse through ground teeth as he punched his fist into his palm with a meaty smack.

Yamato clenched his hands into painfully tight fists as he practically growled out a swear word of his own.

"We've got to help them!" Mimi said, her voice wavering slightly. "What if other Guardromon are hurt too? There's no one like Miyako-chan to help them! What if the Digimon Kaiser is… is…"

The thought was too terrible for Mimi to finish, but she did not need to – everyone in the room was thinking the same thing.

Miyako crossed her arms over her chest. Her enthusiasm had died down to a thin-lipped expression of determination. "If other Guardromon are hurt then bring them back here and I'll repair them too."

Takeru pushed himself away from the wall he had leaned on while watching the recording. "We need to head to Factory Town."

Daisuke thrust his fist into the air, his hand grazing Taichi's hair thanks to how closely everyone was packed together. "Yeah! We're gonna get Tiny Tower for this!"

Chibimon hopped into the air, flailing his hands around as though it might make him look bigger. "Yeah, get him!"

"We should all go," Sora said quietly. She turned to her side, her gaze straying to the floor then stopped when she reminded herself that Piyomon was not there. She was unable to hide the pain from her expression or voice when she next spoke. "Or at least… everyone with a Digimon."

Taichi glanced down towards the Chosen Digimon even though he knew Agumon would not be among them. The idea of being left out of a mission because his partner was in the hands of the enemy sat like a lead weight in his stomach, but given the situation, he had no choice but to sit out. "Yeah. We'll monitor you guys from here."

"I don't like not going," Yamato said in a near grumble. "But we'd just be a liability – a target."

Koshiro nodded. "It'll be fine. You guys can watch over us like last time. Miyako knows how to work the programs, so if you need to–"

"I'm going too," Miyako said.

Every eye in the room focused on Miyako, startled and confused by the sudden declaration, especially since she told them to bring wounded Digimon back to her only a few moments ago.

Takeru was the first to speak up. "Miyako?"

"U-um, uh," Jou said, fumbling over his words. He paused to adjust his questions and properly collect his thoughts. "Unfortunately, people who aren't Chosen can't go to the Digital World…"

Mimi's brow furrowed with worry. "And without a Digimon you'd be in great danger, Miyako-chan."

"_No way!_" Daisuke shouted, which caused everyone standing near him to jump. His expression was flustered, almost panicked, and his cheeks a bright shade of pink. "You are _not_ a Chosen Child, so don't even try and hitch a ride with us, Inoe! Just stay here and wait for us to get back!"

Miyako cast a deadpan stare in Daisuke's direction. "It occurred to me," she said slowly, her tone icy, "that it would be best if I took a page from _Motomiya's_ book for a change, as ridiculous as that might sound. If I happen to be a Chosen Child, then I would find my Digimon, like he did, and I could be of better assistance on the inside."

Daisuke's expression contorted. "_No_ _way!_"

"You're going to a _factory,_" Miyako said sharply, raising her voice to drown out Daisuke's, "and I'm an expert with _machines_. I can also act as a field medic to any other Guardromon or other machine Digimon we find inside."

"No way, no way, _no way_!" Daisuke shouted, crossing and uncrossing his arms in broad strokes in front of his chest, forcing those standing near him to move away. "You can't do it, so there's no way!"

Yamato rubbed his arm where Daisuke accidentally slapped him before regarding Miyako. "Have you tried?" He turned his gaze to Koshiro. "I know we tried with Mimi's parents, and that was a great big _failure_… but have we actually tried to see who is a Chosen and who isn't? For Daisuke, we just, uh… accidentally did it."

Taichi rubbed the back of his head, perplexed and a little worried by how strongly Daisuke reacted to the idea of Miyako being a Chosen Child. "Even if it works, we might not find your Digimon before the fighting starts even if it does work."

Miyako slid her glasses upward and took a deep breath before replying in an exasperated tone. "Look, you don't lose anything by having me try it. All I have to do is stand near you when you go in and, boom, we see if I'm one of the lucky fifteen who get to save the Digital World. Just give me 30 minutes and I can guarantee that if it works, I'll have a means of protecting myself until we find my Digimon."

Sora tilted her head. "I… guess there's no harm in trying. It'd be good to find more Chosen, and the worst that could happen is that it doesn't work."

Mimi's brow furrowed with concern as she watched the younger girl dart past her for the door. "Miyako, are you _sure_ you–"

"_Thirty minutes_," Miyako said loudly. Her stare pierced each person she looked at as she returned to the doorway and shoved her feet into her shoes. "Don't you _dare_ leave without me." She gave the Chosen no chance to respond one way or the other, slamming the door loudly behind her.

Daisuke stared at the front door for a long moment with a creeping sense of dread. He whirled towards the others and gestured towards the computer. "Come on, let's go before she gets back!"

Taichi quirked an eyebrow at the younger Chosen, his expression contorting. "What's gotten into you, Daisuke?"

Takeru had similar thoughts as he looked at Daisuke. He gathered that the newest Chosen Child did not like Miyako, but Daisuke seemed downright panicked at the idea of the girl trying to enter the Digital World with them. It made him wonder if there was something he was missing. "Is something wrong?"

Daisuke nudged Takeru and Koshiro towards the laptop. "Come on! We all know that Inoe isn't a Chosen Child, so we should just hurry up and go after the Digimon Kaiser before it's too late!"

Taichi put his arm on Daisuke's shoulder to still the younger boy. "Hey, hang on a second now."

Sora turned a worried gaze towards Daisuke. "We don't _really_ know for sure if Miyako is one of us or not."

"It can't hurt to check," Yamato said.

Daisuke's muscles tensed as his gaze darted from one Chosen to the next. "But Inoe _can't_ be a Chosen Child!"

Hikari furrowed her brow. "Why not?"

"Come on, Hikari-chan," Daisuke said as he gave Hikari a pleading gaze. "You _know_ what Inoe is like. She's the complete _opposite_ of a hero! She's a suck up to the teachers, rats people out even when they're not doing anything wrong, gives endless lectures thinking she's _always_ right, and puts people down whenever they don't meet her insanely high standards! She's like… like…"

Daisuke fumbled for words and made vague gestures, as though he was groping the air for the words to explain himself. "You know how on TV the hero always has this guy making things harder for him to hide his secret identity? Always snooping and tracking him down and getting him in trouble? She's like _that_!"

Taichi rubbed the back of his head, as the mood grew somewhat awkward. "Daisuke, this isn't a TV show."

"Besides," Koshiro said quickly, "we can trust Miyako. She's kept our secret for years now and has helped us a lot already. She's not going to do anything to stop us from doing what we need to do."

Daisuke looked around, but saw only troubled gazes staring back at him, which made him feel increasingly uncomfortable. "Yeah, but…" He fumbled for something else to explain his feelings, but the words would not come.

"Daisuke," Hikari said gently as she placed her hand on Daisuke's arm. "It'll be okay. If Miyako really _is_ a Chosen Child, then it'll be for a good reason. Trust me."

Daisuke jumped slightly at the touch, his cheeks turning pink. After a moment, he reluctantly nodded. "I… if you say so, Hikari-chan…"

Chibimon hugged Daisuke's leg tightly, not liking his partner's distress at all. "Even if she _is_ a Chosen, you're still the _best_, Daisuke! Always, always!"

Daisuke smiled a little at Chibimon. "Thanks, Buddy."

* * *

><p>By the time Miyako returned to the Izumi home, she was out of breath and carrying a large backpack. She also was not alone. Iori stood behind her and bowed politely in greeting to the others.<p>

Daisuke groaned and held his forehead. "First Inoe and now Hida? Who else from our class is going to be in on this?"

"I'm here because Miyako said she needed protection," Iori said, slowly. His expression was neutral as his eyes scanned the apartment, focusing on the Chosen before he settled on the Digimon, who were trying to hide under the table due to the sudden arrival of an unfamiliar face. He stared at the strange, colorful creatures, his eyes widening slightly. The Digimon in return were careful not to move, for the most part, imitating stuffed animals.

Takeru blinked. "You?"

Iori turned his attention to Takeru and nodded before he pulled out a bokken that he kept strapped to his back, showing it to the others. "This."

Daisuke's expression contorted. "A wooden sword? You can't be serious!"

Taichi eyed the bokken. "I don't think a wooden sword is gonna do much against Digimon."

Iori looked from Daisuke to Taichi without changing his expression. "Have you ever been hit by a bokken?"

Taichi rubbed his head. "Well… no. "

"Then allow me to assure you," Iori said, "in the right hands, a bokken is quite dangerous in its own right."

Koshiro was ill at ease as he looked Iori over. While the younger boy was talking with Daisuke and Taichi, he pulled Miyako to the side and whispered in her ear. "Did you already him about Digimon?"

Miyako threw her arms up in the air. "Are you kidding? I didn't have enough time." She flashed Koshiro a confident grin. "But don't sweat it. If Iori and I both get in, he can protect me. Trust me, he's _that_ good. And even if he can't get in, I trust him to watch my back from the computer screen. If _he_ gets in and I don't, then he'll be able to help drag back any Digimon you need me to repair, and if we both don't go then he'll be my assistant."

Iori turned his attention to Miyako for the most part, but his eyes constantly strayed to the coffee table. He did not understand a much of what was going on, but it scarcely bothered him. The only thing that stuck out was the supposed doll in the shape of a little blue dragon thing that inched closer to him from underneath the table, staring at him with wide red eyes. He considered calling the imp to the others' attention, but Miyako spoke before he could make the decision.

Miyako made a sound that was between a groan and a sigh after seeing the dubious expressions on the Chosen Children's faces. "Look, if it works for either of us, you'll have help on the other side, plus a new Digimon. If it doesn't, then I've got an assistant to help me out here. It's not like it'll cost us any more time to try it. Just open up the gate already so we can get going!"

Taichi scratched his cheek as he looked around at the others. "I guess she has a point."

"I think it's a good idea," Chibimon said as he suddenly jumped out from beneath the table, rushing over to Iori. "When that bucket attacked Daisuke, Iori caught it and saved Daisuke!" He hopped up and flailed his arms about once he reached the new boy. "He was so fast, like out of a movie!"

Iori stared down at the little blue creature, his eyes widening just a fraction. For a moment all he could do was look at the little thing as it hopped around in front of him. Not only could this creature move, when it spoke he could understand it, and it also knew who he was. "I… see…?"

Chibimon stopped bouncing around and beamed at Iori, flashing his sharp teeth in a wide smile. "Thank you for protecting Daisuke~!"

"You're… welcome," Iori said, slowly, as he tried to process what was going on. "And… you are?"

"Chibimon!" Chibimon said. "I'm a Digimon!"

"Chibi… mon? Digi… mon?" Iori repeated slowly. After a moment's hesitation, he snapped out of his surprise enough to remember his manners, and bowed to the strange creature. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Chibi Mon."

Chibimon paused for a moment then shook his head as he marked an X in front of him with his arms. "No, not Chibi Mon. Chibimon!" He raised his paws to the sky. "And when I evolve, I become V-mon!"

Iori tilted his head as he regarded the creature. "V-mon."

Chibimon nodded at that, then gestured towards the other Digimon. "And that's Patamon, Tailmon, Tentomon, and Palmon!"

Iori gazed at each Digimon in turn, who looked back at him with expressions ranging from curiosity to uncertainty. He imagined their expressions reflected his own, or at least would have if he were not wearing a carefully made mask of neutrality.

The Digimon gave up pretending to be stuffed animals and moved out from beneath the table so that they could properly greet their guest. Iori gave a bow to them as he did to Chibimon. "I am Hida, Iori Hida. Pleased to meet you, Digimon."

Koshiro set his laptop down on the dining room table. "Okay, then everyone who's staying here better step back." When everyone moved into the proper positions, he turned to Takeru. "Would you do the honors?"

Takeru nodded, and then pulled out his Digivice. There was no point in delaying anymore. Whatever was going to happen with Miyako and Iori would be settled with three simple words. "Digital Gate open!"


	14. Chapter 13

The first thing Iori became aware of when the blinding light died down was that he was no longer at the Izumi residence. Gone was the well decorated but cramped apartment. In its place was a vast sweeping plain with short silver strands of grass that bowed to a gentle breeze. Overhead, the sky was filled with light gray clouds peppered with spots of black. There was little to look at besides the other children, save for a massive dome structure. Unfortunately, it was hard to tell just how large the dome was or how far away they were, as there was little in their surroundings to give it a true sense of scale.

The second thing Iori noticed was that his clothes had changed – his school uniform was gone and had been replaced with a white gi, black hakama, and white obi. With his wooden bokken, he looked like a little samurai.

Iori felt dazed as he looked at their surroundings then at his clothes, as though the details were slow to filter into his mind. As he slowly became aware that he was not dreaming, his normally placid expression turned into a frown as he voiced his uncertainty with a hum at the back of his throat.

Miyako's shriek pierced the air, shocking Iori out of his introspection and putting the Chosen instantly on alert. There was no sign of attack, as they expected. Instead, Miyako was looking frantically at herself, particularly at the elbow-length purple gloves she wore. Her clothing had changed like the others, from overalls to an outfit reminiscent of her school uniform, only far more elaborate. Her blouse was white with short sleeves of a transparent violet material. A large purple bow covered her chest instead of a sash, adorned with a heart shaped golden broach pinned at the center of it. The sailor-style collar, pleated skirt, choker, and high-heeled knee-length boots were the same shade of purple as her bow, with white or darker purple serving as accents. To top everything off, she had a golden tiara on her head with a purple tear-shaped jewel hanging down over her forehead.

Takeru and the others outright gawked at Miyako. After a moment, shock gave away to the almost irresistible urge to laugh. The Chosen of Hope tried to keep his amusement out of his expression, but his body started to shake from repressing his laughter. He covered his mouth with his hands and coughed to hide the small giggles that escaped him. It was a pathetic cover up and he knew it. "It's… really interesting, Miyako."

Daisuke had far less restraint than Takeru and doubled over laughing. He attempted to make some sort of witty remark, but the words kept getting choked due to his laughter.

Somehow, Iori managed to appear unaffected through it all even as the rest of the Chosen tried desperately not to laugh at Miyako's outfit. He tilted his head slightly and looked his friend over with a more critical eye. "Your clothes changed as well."

Koshiro covered his mouth as well, though a small chortle escaped him. "N-nice look, Miyako."

Mimi giggled not from finding Miyako's outfit funny, but because of genuine enjoyment. She beamed at the younger girl. "You look so cute, Miyako-chan! I'm jealous… I'm still waiting for _my_ clothes to change into something cute too."

Miyako's face turned bright red and she glared at the others while wagging a pointing finger at them. "Th-this… this is… is _sexual harassment_! I _demand_ to speak with whoever is in charge of wardrobe around here! This is _not_ how a hero should look, or, er, at least not how _I_ should look!" She whirled to glare at the sky. "Gennai! Tenraimon! Whoever is watching us, if you don't give me something decent right now, I swear I'll wring your neck if I ever catch you!"

Iori looked over his outfit, taking the change much more calmly than Miyako was. He felt over his clothes, noting that they were certainly real. He then glanced over to the others. "Almost everyone's clothes have changed."

"Yeah," Takeru said with a small shrug. "We don't know why, either."

Daisuke finally managed to catch his breath as he wiped away the tears from his eyes. "Oh… oh man. H-Hikari-chan! G-get out your camera! We've _got_ to have a picture of this!"

Miyako gave Daisuke a glare that could curdle milk. "Do it and die."

Daisuke could not stop himself from snickering. "L-let me guess, if I don't then in the name of the moon you'll pun–"

Miyako suddenly grabbed Daisuke by the collar and yanked him forward with one hand, choking him off midsentence while she glared into his eyes. "You make just _one_ more joke about my outfit and I'll show you how I don't _need_ a Digimon to kick your butt all the way back to the real world, Motomiya."

Daisuke gagged and struggled to free himself from Miyako's iron grip. "Okay, okay! I got it! No more jokes!"

V-mon growled as he rushed forward, to his Chosen's aid. "You try it! Just you try and hurt Daisuke!"

Miyako snorted, but let Daisuke go. She turned away from him and eyed the others, daring them to make any comment.

Iori was the only person who responded to the challenge. "You should have said 'mon,' anyway."

Miyako glared at Iori. "Et tu, Iori?"

Iori's expression did not change, but he bowed slightly in apology. "It felt like good comedic timing."

"Come on," Hikari said, "we shouldn't fight each other." She smiled at Miyako, hoping to soften the other girl's sour mood. "Anyway, this is a good thing, Miyako. Your theory worked."

Miyako grunted as she turned her gaze down to her clenched fist. "Yeah, yeah." She held up the Digivice resting within her palm. "I'm a Chosen Child like the rest of you, just with a cheesecake uniform for fan service or whatever. Iori is a Chosen Child too if what's in his hand is a Digivice like mine."

Iori blinked at that before his eyes widened. The shock of the change in their surroundings had yet to settle in, leaving him more surprised that he did not notice that he was holding onto something until Miyako pointed towards it. He held up the holy relic as his expression reverted to a blank mask. "Digivice?"

Miyako made a dismissive wave of her hand. "Long story short, that's a holy item that lets you bond with a creature from this world who was made for you, who we should track down and find after this mission." She paused for a moment and cocked her head slightly. "Oh, and to clear up a few more points: you're a hero for justice called a Chosen Child. This is the Digital World, and we're going to save its inhabitants, Digimon, for their sake and because if the Digital World gets messed up, our world does too. Questions?"

Iori looked at his Digivice for a moment, then looked at Miyako. "Is this what you meant when you said it might be a 'first come, first serve' basis?"

A flash of panic appeared on Miyako's face before she let out a hiss through her teeth. She then forced out a laugh, as though it would cover up her hasty shushing. "O-of course not! That was totally _not_ related to this whatsoever! T-try to keep up, Iori!"

"I apologize," Iori said, before he looked down at his Digivice. "I suppose I'll just have to do my best."

"Of course!" Miyako said with much more energy as she put her hands to her hips.

The smile finally disappeared from Daisuke's face. "Wait…"

Koshiro let out a hum as he rubbed his chin. "How strange… Miyako, I remember you said before that you never saw Parrotmon and Greymon's battle, right?" He waited until Miyako nodded. "It can't be a coincidence that the first kids we try to bring into the Digital World wind up as Chosen Children. Could it really be just exposure that causes it, or are we creating new Chosen Children every time we bring someone in?"

"I don't think that's it," Takeru said. "Remember? Ryo said that there were only fifteen crests."

Koshiro's brow furrowed. "That's true… But this still seems too cooincidental."

Mimi tilted her head slightly at Koshiro. "You mean like how the seven of us were separated from the others at summer camp at the same time and it was our Digimon who were together waiting?"

Koshiro's expression turned blank as he looked at Mimi before he blinked slowly. "That's… true I guess."

"_Nooooo!_" Daisuke shouted, startling the group. "No way! Inoe _can't_ be a Chosen Child!"

Miyako arched an eyebrow at Daisuke. "Slow on the uptake as usual, Motomiya?" She thrust out her Digivice in Daisuke's direction so that he could see it. "_Yes_ I _am_ a Chosen Child. Just. Like. _You_!" She poked his chest on the last word for emphasis before she used that same finger to slide her glasses upward along the bridge of her nose. "Deal with it."

Daisuke shook his head. "No way! There's just no way!"

Hikari's expression grew troubled and she approached Daisuke to touch his shoulder. "Daisuke? What's wrong?"

Daisuke pointed at Miyako. "_She's_ what's wrong! How can someone like _Inoe_ be a Chosen Child?"

Miyako's cheek twitched. "And just what is it about 'someone like me' that can't be a hero, but someone like _Motomiya_ can?"

Daisuke faltered before he made wide, vague gestures at his sides. "Your character type is always the snitch at school who picks on the hero and becomes unimportant about halfway through the season because the heroes have much bigger things to deal about than some jerk always going after them and turning them in to the teachers! How can someone like you be a _Chosen_?"

Miyako's eyes narrowed, taking on a dangerous glint as she took a bold step closer to Daisuke. "Oh, so reporting a _delinquent_ who regularly _beats people up_ to the teachers is a _bad_ thing now? Does that mean I better not report a _criminal_ to the _police_ or I won't be a real 'hero,'" she made air quotes with her fingers, "like you think I should be? And just what kind of 'hero' thinks it's better to beat someone up when they're angry than be _responsible_ and report them for their behavior?"

"Like the teachers care," Daisuke said, nearly spitting the words. "Once they make up their minds about you, they don't care _what_ you say. It's no wonder you love them since you suck up to them so much!"

Miyako clenched the hand not holding her Digivice into a fist. "I don't 'suck up' to the teachers!"

Daisuke scoffed. "If you sucked any harder, they'd be able to use you to clean up hotel carpets."

"Stop it!" Hikari shouted as she got between Miyako and Daisuke, holding up her hands. "No more fighting! I mean it!"

Daisuke jerked back, as Hikari's interference startled him and disrupted the momentum he built up during the argument. He tried to respond, but the words tumbled out half-formed and awkward. Red faced, he looked away, managing to force out a muttered apology directed at Hikari.

Miyako took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "_I'm_ not the instigator here, but I'm willing to ignore Motomiya if he's willing to get over whatever _issue_ he has with me being here." She turned away from the others, folding her arms over her chest. "Besides, we have more _important_ things to do, remember?"

Takeru glanced between Miyako and Daisuke uneasily. Whatever good feelings he had about discovering two new Chosen Children were dashed by the fact that it resulted in such intense friction. From what he could tell, Miyako believed the terrible rumors about Daisuke and in turn, the goggle boy resented people like her who looked down on him. Takeru could hardly blame either of them given the circumstances. He hoped that Miyako would figure out that the rumors were nothing more than empty lies and that Daisuke would be able to relax his guard around her.

"That's right," Hikari said, trying to balance sounding firm without becoming fierce and worsening the tension. "We're here because we were _all_ Chosen to protect the Digital World. None of us would be here if we were a bad person."

Mimi nodded along with Hikari and had been set to agree with the younger girl, when a sobering thought suddenly occurred to her. Words muttered with an unpleasant note left her lips before she could consider if it was a good idea for her to say them right now. "Except the Digimon Kaiser."

The reminder brought a somber mood to the group. Hikari grimaced, but remained firm in her stance. "We don't know the truth behind the Digimon Kaiser yet, but either way, none of us here is a bad person."

Koshiro rubbed the back of his neck, as the tension made him feel an increasing sense of nervousness. "L-let's just focus on why we came here for now, okay?"

Daisuke cast a suspicious eye Miyako's way, though she failed to see it as she was still pointedly ignoring him. He bent down to whisper into V-mon's ear when no one was looking their way. "We better keep an eye on Inoe just in case. If that jerk can be here, then maybe he can make it so other jerks can just waltz on in too."

V-mon nodded sharply. "You got it, Daisuke!"

Daisuke shushed V-mon quickly with an anxious look towards the others. "Let's keep it between us for now. We can't let Inoe know we're on to her."

The little blue dragon nodded again, clenching his fists. He narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Miyako, his jaw clenching. He did not understand why she was a Chosen, but it ultimately didn't matter. She was not _his_ Chosen, so he did not care about her at all – so long as she stayed away from Daisuke.

"Koshiro, why are no Digimon coming to confront us?" Tentomon asked as he hovered overhead, cutting into the drama as he inadvertently reminded the group where they are and why they had come. "They must know we are here."

Koshiro turned towards the factory town, brow furrowed. The city was undeniably quiet and unassuming. The bickering had made the Chosen an obvious target, and yet no controlled Digimon had moved to take advantage. He let out a low hum at the back of his throat. "Either the Digimon have been vacated elsewhere…"

"Or it's a trap," Tailmon said, her arms crossed and tail lashing behind her. "And there's no way to avoid it."

V-mon looked up from conspiring with Daisuke to blink at Tailmon. "Huh? What do you mean? We could just… not go insi… oh." He slouched a bit. "If we don't go inside, we can't free the Digimon!"

Hikari let out a quiet sigh as she surveyed Factory Town. "We don't have a choice. We have to save those Digimon."

Daisuke scratched his head beneath his goggles. "So what do we do?"

A sudden beep interrupted the conversation. Hikari pulled out her D-Terminal – the source of the beeping – and read the email she just received. "It's from Big Brother! He says that he and the others are watching from Koshiro's computer and will warn us if they see anything suspicious."

Koshiro snapped his fingers. "Of course! With my desktop they can get a better look around at our surroundings than we can!"

Miyako's shoulders grew ridged as she cast a wary look towards the sky. "So they're watching us right now?"

Mimi patted Miyako on the shoulder. "It's okay, Miyako-chan. You don't have to feel self-conscious. Your outfit is so cute!"

Miyako's cheeks pinked and she let out a quiet grunt. "Thanks," she muttered, "but I'll bet some of them were laughing like Motomiya."

Hikari decided not to mention that Taichi added a PS to the email that was a comment about Miyako's outfit. She doubted that Miyako would find it as humorous as her brother did. "Anyway, we should get ready to go in."

Iori quietly watched the Chosen discuss the situation. He had little to say about the fight between Miyako and Daisuke, and it certainly did not seem like his place to comment on it; he did not know Daisuke well enough to know if the criticism was valid, so anything he said would have been biased. Likewise, it was not his place to comment on the situation he was currently in – for precisely the same reason. He had so little understanding of the Digimon, of his sudden change in clothes, or his surroundings that he had no choice but to follow Miyako's lead and do his best to protect her. "I will do my best."

"Is there really no other way…?" Tailmon muttered as she eyed Hikari. While she certainly wanted to rescue the Digimon captured by the Kaiser, she did not like the idea of walking headfirst in to a trap, especially when it might endanger Hikari.

Takeru furrowed his eyebrows as he crossed his arms, surveying the opened gates with a critical eye. "That dome is new. I don't remember there being one at Factory Town last time we were here…" After several moments, he turned to Koshiro. "Can Taichi or my brother get a good look of the dome?"

Koshiro blinked before he tilted his head thoughtfully. "I'm sure they can, but why?"

"Well, it's just…," Takeru trailed off before he glanced upward, trying to see the top of the dome. Unfortunately, no matter how much he squinted, he could not see anything. "I sincerely doubt the Digimon Kaiser came in through the front gate. So how did he get in? Did he damage the dome?"

"Oi!" Daisuke shouted towards the sky. "Senpai, could you check the dome for any big holes or something that looks like a trap?"

"You don't need to shout, Daisuke," Koshiro said. "If the others miss what we said the first time, we can just send an email."

"Have them check for underground passages too," Miyako said as she faced Koshiro, her back pointedly aimed towards Daisuke. "Someplace that big has to have a sewer system, and no one would expect an army to come in that way."

Takeru's eyes widened. "Of _course_! The _sewers_!"

Mimi grimaced and stuck out her tongue. "Not there again. Don't you remember the last time we went through that sewer?"

The chime of Hikari's D-Terminal signaled silence before anyone could respond. "There's no damage to the dome, just a doorway in the front and back, and both are open." She frowned. "They can see inside too, but they haven't spotted any Digimon so far. Oh, and Miyako, they found about half a dozen sewer entrances, but it's too dark for them to see what's inside."

Koshiro blinked. "Too dark?"

"You're lucky I came prepared," Miyako said as she reached into her pocket, only to fumble against her skirt. "Oh darn it! My flashlight was in my pants!"

"That's weird," Takeru muttered as he crossed his arms. "I don't remember the sewer being dark last time."

Hikari looked over in the direction of the nearest sewer entrance that Taichi indicated. "Maybe the Digimon Kaiser turned out the lights to hinder us."

"Something about that seems off," Koshiro said as he rubbed his chin. "I just can't put my finger on it..."

Tailmon flicked her ears. "Either way, we now have two options. We either go through the sewers or the front gates."

"Or the back," Hikari said. "But I don't think that'll be any better than going in through the front."

Takeru tilted his head, looking at Factory Town at a slight angle as he considered their options. "If we don't go through the front, he may pursue us in to the sewers. Assuming there's a trap at all, I mean. He'd immediately know the trap failed and if he came in through the sewers, he'd know about them."

"Let's split up," Daisuke said. "If one of them is a trap then the others will still be free to save 'em!"

Miyako made a show of rolling her eyes with a quiet scoff. "And if there's more than one trap, what then?"

Daisuke shot Miyako a glare. With her back to him he could not see her expression, but her condescending tone rubbed him the wrong way. "He can't catch all of us off guard! Besides, Senpai and the others will be watching to give one group the heads up that the other is in trouble."

"At the very least, it'd split the Kaiser's attention," Takeru said. "I guess we just need to decide who goes where. I imagine the front gate would be the most dangerous route, so Patamon and I'll take that one."

Koshiro turned towards the dome. "We should probably split into three groups then to cover the front, back, and sewer entrances."

Tailmon glanced towards Hikari, her ears canting back. While she was more inclined to follow Takeru and Patamon through the front gates, it meant bringing Hikari with her. And at this point, she preferred to keep Hikari out of danger as much as she could. Tailmon could manage, but even now, Hikari was practically dead on her feet. "Hikari and I will take the sewers."

"I call dibs on the back way!" Mimi shouted as her hand shot into the air. "I am _not_ going back into those sewers."

Takeru shook his head. "We don't have the manpower for that. If everyone had their Digimon, sure, we could risk that. But as it is, we only have _five_ fighters. It'd mean someone would go alone."

Hikari let out a quiet hum. "We could just all go in through the front in waves. If the first wave gets caught in a trap, the second will help them out of it."

A chime from the D-Terminal drew away Hikari's attention. "Ah, the others back home think that splitting up might be a good idea too. They think Takeru and Daisuke should make a big scene at the entrance and the rest of us should sneak in through the sewer."

Mimi let out a groan. "Not again." She suddenly grabbed Daisuke's hands. "Hey, Daisuke, trade with me!"

Daisuke's cheeks turned pink as he stared at Mimi who batted her eyelashes at him and turned on the charm. "I-I-I uh, I..."

"I think his hormones are saying 'yes,' Miss Tachibana," Miyako said before letting out a disgusted snort.

Mimi beamed, her face lighting up. "Really? Thank you, Daisuke~!" She hugged Daisuke who squeaked in response, the pink in his cheeks turning to red.

Iori tilted his head as he watched the Chosen discuss their strategy. After a moment, he turned to look at Miyako. "I notice we're not included among the 'five fighters'."

Miyako looked at Iori sideways. "Until we get our Digimon, we're basically liabilities."

"Okay then, let's go," Koshiro said.

"Hang on," Miyako said, raising her voice. "I'm going with the group heading in the front too."

Koshiro blinked, startled. "Eh? Why?"

Miyako pointed down at her feet. "High heels. I can barely walk in these things. You think I can tramp around slick tiles and slime in these?"

Koshiro rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, right, good point."

"If Miyako is going through the front, so will I," Iori said. He understood very little, save that there was danger involved, and he had promised to protect Miyako. Even if he felt slightly out of his league and very much confused, he understood enough to know that the fact that he was even there confirmed that he was still had a job to do.

Miyako flashed Iori a grin. "I was just about to say..."

Koshiro frowned as he glanced towards Takeru and Mimi. "Do you think you can handle protecting these two by yourselves?"

Mimi did her best to look cheerful, though her smile did not quite reach her eyes. "Palmon and I will do our best, right?" She turned to her partner, a slight emphasis on her question.

Takeru was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "So long as they keep their distance, Patamon and I will do our best to make enough noise. Maybe toss a few 'tiny towers' here or there." He grinned slightly towards Daisuke. "Right~?"

Daisuke blinked at Takeru, but after a second, he remembered the reference and laughed, flashing a grin at the other boy. "Right!"

"We should go," Tailmon said. "We don't have much time before the Kaiser notices us."

"Assuming he hasn't already," Takeru agreed, and then glanced up to his Digimon. If it really was a trap, then the Digimon Kaiser no doubt knew they were coming and was simply lying in wait, ready to attack. They needed to be ready for anything, as he did not doubt the Digimon Kaiser was going to throw his worst at them. As much as he wanted to avoid a trap, they did not have the luxury of waiting if there were more injured Digimon like Guardromon slowly dying inside.

The very notion sent a repulsed shudder through Takeru, bringing up that haunting memory of Angemon. It only flashed in his mind for a second before he harshly shoved it aside and began walking off with bold strides. "Let's go."

Iori turned to Miyako, his expression entirely without emotion. "This is all rather hard to believe."

Miyako looked at Iori sideways and shrugged. "Eh, just try to run with it for now. Think of this as a really realistic dream where stuff doesn't make much sense because L-O-L dream logic or whatever. I'll give you the full details about everything when we get back to the real world."

Iori frowned, a flash of unease appearing on his face for a brief instant. He looked down at the strange holy item that appeared with him, the Digivice, then looked his clothes over. Only his bokken had not changed, and that was comfort enough for now. When his eyes met Miyako's again, he nodded.

With great tension and hesitation, the two groups split up. Takeru and Mimi headed towards the inviting front gates with their Digimon close beside them, while Miyako and Iori followed at a safe distance – assuming any distance was 'safe' when it came to walking head-first in to a trap. Meanwhile, Tailmon lead the way to the closest entrance to the sewers, followed by Hikari, Koshiro and Tentamon, and Daisuke and V-mon.

No one knew what to expect, so all they could do was expect the worst, while hoping that 'worst' was something that they could handle.

* * *

><p>"I don't like this, <em>at all<em>," Yamato said, his voice rough like a growl. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides as feelings of anger and helplessness swelled up inside him the longer he glared at the computer screen. "They're walking head first into a trap! We _know_ it's a trap, and there's not a damn thing we can do about it!"

Sora shifted uncomfortably as she stood near Yamato and Taichi as the three of them hovered in front of Koshiro's computer, all mindful to avoid crowding too close to the unconscious Guardromon. "He knows we won't refuse to go in," she said, her voice soft. She looked at her Digivice that she held clutched tightly in her hands. She was still adjusting to the new shape, even though it felt more comfortable in her hands than its previous form. "He knows we won't leave the Digimon to suffer."

"He's got us by the _balls_!" Yamato shouted, practically spitting out the words as though they tasted vile. A heartbeat later, he realized that he used vulgar language in front of a girl and had the good sense to cast a sheepish look in Sora's direction. "…Proverbially."

Taichi paced in front of Koshiro's desk like a large cat trapped in a tiny cage. He had gotten into a routine of pausing in front of the computer, arms tightly folded against his chest, before he found just standing there, watching the Digital Gate as it showed his sister and friends going into battle, was too much and he started moving again for lack of anything else he could do. "Maybe we should tell the others to just blow a hole in the dome and come in that way. Doubt that brat would expect something like _that_."

"We don't know that we _can_ damage the dome," Jou said as he wrung his hands in his lap, at the end of Koshiro's bed. "Kaiser could have tried that first. So if _he_ couldn't break it and had to sneak in through the sewers…"

Taichi exhaled deeply through his nose before he responded. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I just can't…" Sora said in a wavering tone that died off on an unpleasant note. Her brow furrowed as she looked to the Digital Gate, waiting for the Digimon Kaiser's inevitable appearance. "He's a _Chosen Child_, and yet…"

Taichi scowled at the screen as he watched Mimi and Takeru enter the dome. "Yeah… What the heck happened to that guy to make him like this?"

Yamato paced beside the bed and shot a glare at the computer screen. "We don't know that he wasn't _always_ like this." He practically growled the words, gritting his teeth. As he watched his brother peer around the city with a nervous air, his hands tightened into fists. "He's just a little brat throwing a tantrum, and doing whatever he wants, to whoever he wants, no matter _who_ gets hurt."

"I wish Gennai were here," Taichi said. "Maybe he could help us figure out how one of us could be _evil_."

"I don't give a damn," Jou said. His voice came out so quietly that the others nearly missed it, but it was his tone that caught their attention. His voice was as hard as the grip his hands had on one another in his lap. "I don't need or _want_ to know anything about that brat. I just want Gomamon back."

A weighty silence settled upon the room as the other three Chosen Children stared at Jou, startled by his words and uncharacteristic demeanor. Seconds ticked by slowly and with great discomfort until Taichi finally blurted out the first thing that popped into his mind. "Jou? Are you okay?"

Jou's gaze did not rise from his hands. He seemed almost transfixed by the whiteness of his knuckles, and how his hands trembled faintly. Taichi had been ready to speak again when his shoulders slumped and he let out a heavy breath. "I'm fine."

Yamato stared hard at Jou, focusing on the other boy's posture, the tension lines marring Jou's normally boyish face. He did not believe the Chosen of Honesty's lie for a single second. "'Fine'."

Jou seemed to realize that no one believed him and he turned his head slightly so that he focused on a point on the wall away from the others. "I'll be fine when I get Gomamon back," he said quietly.

Sora felt her heart ache. She stood up and moved to sit by Jou, then touched his knee. She felt him flinch, but he still did not look at her or anyone else. "It's going to be okay. We're… we're going to save them."

Taichi stood at the end of the bed on the other side of Jou and gave the older boy a pat on the back. "That's right! We've already got half of them back, so we're due to get the rest of them back soon!"

Jou let out his breath in an 'oof' when Taichi patted him and sat slightly slumped forward from the friendly gesture for a prolonged moment. Finally, he straightened up and nodded, though he still had trouble lifting his eyes. He knew that he was worrying his friends needlessly, and regretted being so careless with his words. "T-that's right," he said, trying to sound hopeful even if he did not really feel it. "There might even… even be someone at Factory Town… Maybe…" He could not finish the thought for fear of being crushed should Gomamon not be there.

Taichi flashed Jou a grin. "Right! For all we know, Gomamon is there for whatever trap the Kaiser has set up, so all the others have to do is free him!"

Yamato nodded at that. "Just hang in there, got it?"

Jou could do little more than nod. He could not bring himself to find solace in anything his friends were telling him, but he did not want to argue the point. He wanted them to return their attention to the Digital Gate, and away from him so that he would not have to think about it anymore. "R-right…"

* * *

><p>Factory Town had changed quite a bit in a couple years, with the dome being the most prominent difference the Chosen noticed. However, the addition of a dome was not the only thing that had changed in this area. The Digimon town had grown considerably in size, at least by a factor of four, with tall towering metal structures – both buildings and construction equipment alike.<p>

However, the most disturbing difference from the last time the Chosen set foot in Factory Town was that everything was at a complete standstill. Conveyer belts and cogs no longer spun, metal arms were frozen in mid-grab like the skeletal arms of a creature made from machinery that had been stripped of flesh. The signs that resulted from the Digimon Kaiser's invasion were still present in the form of spilled boxes of machinery, scorch marks or bullet holes scarring the walls or ground, and the occasional splatter of oil. The lack of life and the scars of a recent battle made the place a ghost town that was smothering under a terrible weight of _silence_ that pressed down on the Chosen and made every footstep double in volume.

"Hey," Takeru said as he came to a stop in the middle of street, just inside the monstrous gateway to the outside world. He noticed a faint echo when he spoke that distorted his voice with a faintly metallic tinge when it came back to him. "Wasn't this place… _doing_ something the last time we were here? Even though it was just building and taking things apart. It looks like all the machines have… _stopped_."

Mimi looked around at the countless pieces of machinery that surrounded them before her gaze latched onto a large patch of oil surrounding some small shards of metal. Reminded of Guardromon, she shivered a bit and rubbed her arms as she stepped closer to Palmon. "This is kind of creepy…"

"It feels like an abandoned industrial complex," Iori said as he followed Takeru and Mimi. "I… assume that it's not supposed to be abandoned."

Palmon craned her head about, her eyes wide and blinking. "Where are all the Digimon?" She glanced over at Mimi and followed her partner's gaze. When she spotted what Mimi was looking at, her mouth twisted in a grimace. "The Guardromon…"

"They're probably all brainwashed by now," Miyako said, her arms folded in front of her. "The Digimon Kaiser probably has them lying in wait for us. There's plenty of places to hide in here, and they have the advantage of being familiar with the terrain."

Patamon scanned the area from high above, frowning. "I don't see anyone but us. Do the others back at Koshiro's place see anything, Takeru?"

Takeru checked his D-Terminal. "No messages yet. I guess they haven't seen–"

At that moment, the huge gates slammed shut behind the Chosen. A deep, vibrating rumble echoed through the silence as Factory Town sealed itself off from the outside world. The deafening noise continued to linger as the Chosen turned back to stare at the door that cut them off from any chance of escape.

"Wow," Takeru said, his voice dry. "Who would have expected that."

Miyako took a few steps closer to Iori as she scanned the area, trying to hide her nervousness. "Get ready!"

Long seconds ticked by as the group stood close to one another, searching for any sign of attack. The tension only grew more unbearable as the wait stretched on and nothing around them moved.

Mimi let out a quiet sound of displeasure as her eyes darted about anxiously, her Digivice clutched tightly in her palm. "Maybe… maybe the door just shut by itself?"

There was no opportunity to answer, as an angry cry pierced the air and drew the group's attention to their rear flank, where Iori and Miyako were exposed. "_Feel the wrath of Heaven's fury!_"

Miyako had barely a moment to widen her eyes as she saw the blur of something barreling towards her. Iori was in front of her just as three swords collided centimeters away from her face with a mighty clatter. Somehow, his bokken held back not one but two rapiers made from unknown metal. She screamed as she realized how close the attack had come to her and scrambled away on instinct, only to trip on her high heels and crash onto her backside in an undignified heap.

Iori strained against the force of his opponent's swords until he used the creature's strength against it. With a masterful stroke he redirected the enemy's swords to the ground then pushed his opponent back so that he could get a better look at who he was dealing with and ready to counter its next move.

The attacker was a Digimon no taller than any of the Chosen Children but twice as wide. It bounced back from Iori after being repelled, its metal boots clanking against the floor with such a clatter that it was hard to imagine how the Digimon managed to sneak up on the Chosen in the first place. The Digimon appeared to be a knight in heavy armor and chainmail, or rather a giant baseball with noodle-like arms dressed up as a reasonable facsimile of a knight. Two giant blue eyes peeked out from a raised visor that rested around level with its shoulders, as the Digimon's head was fused with its round body. Aside from the eyes, there was nothing of the Digimon's face but blackness, but its displeasure was evident in its narrowed glare and the affronted tone it used. "You dare defy the vengeance of Heaven? Your punishment will be severe indeed!"

Iori kept his gaze on the Digimon, holding his bokken in front of him. "Attacking an unarmed opponent is cowardly."

The Digimon jerked, its eyes boggling. "_What_? You _dare_ call the Digimon Kaiser's greatest knight a coward? Unthinkable! Have you no shame? You shameful enemies of the Digimon Kaiser above all would know that any invader has made the first strike!"

"I would ask the same of _you_," Iori said as he pointed the tip of his bokken at the enemy Digimon. "There is no honor in attacking an unarmed opponent, woman or otherwise."

"Iori!" Mimi shouted before she turned to her partner. "Palmon!"

"I'm ready, Mimi!" Palmon said as she clenched her fists.

"Iori, get back!" Takeru said as he grabbed his Digivice. He mentally cursed at how quickly the Kaiser's controlled Digimon had focused in on the more helpless members of the group. "Patamon!"

"Ready, Takeru!" Patamon said as he dove down to join Palmon, prepared to evolve and fight.

"Wait," the Digimon said as he held up one of his rapiers. "Is it not the custom to give one's own name first?"

The question came so unexpected that it was enough reason for the Chosen to pause. Frowning, Iori stepped forward, but he never had the chance to speak.

"Fine then," the Digimon said sharply. "Mine I shall give!" He made a sweeping gesture to his right with one of his rapiers. "I am the undefeated champion of the Digimon Kaiser's Factory Town." He drew his left sword outward in an arc. "A budding supernova in the great Digimon Kaiser's glorious army." He brought his rapiers together in an X shape. "The mere mention of my name strikes fear into the hearts of my lord's enemies." He drew his swords apart with a scrape of metal and formed them into a V. "My comrades call me the Silver Thunder of the Digital World!" He crashed his swords together to create a sound not unlike thunder. "Gladimon, Adult Vaccine Warrior."

Miyako forgot about her close call or that she had been scared of this Digimon in the first place, and was the first to break the awkward silence that followed Gladimon's speech. "Is this guy for real?"

Takeru stared at Gladimon, taken back. It felt like a scene from an anime, not something he'd actually witness in real life. "Silver… Thunder?"

Iori showed no reaction to the small 'show' Gladimon made of a simple introduction. "Are you done?"

Gladimon pointed one of his rapiers at Iori. "Now you have no excuse. Reveal thy identity, you wretch, then face the wrath of the Silver Thunder!"

"Iori, watch out!" Takeru said, snapping out of his bewilderment to remember that Iori and Miyako were still in grave danger. "He's–"

Iori moved quickly, crouching forward before he slammed his bokken into the Digimon's chest. Like a pool stick hitting a cue ball, the armored Digimon bounced back violently across the road and into a building nearby, shattering the bricks and metal upon impact due to the sheer force propelling him.

Takeru stopped dead in his tracks and outright gawked at the giant hole the Iori made with Gladimon. A _single blow_ dealt by a child _his age_ wielding a _wooden_ sword created a hole that Angemon could walk through.

Iori straightened up as he drew back his bokken, holding it to his side. His expression was quite stern, as a wind with strangely appropriate timing blew past him and whipped his outfit about. "I don't give my name to _villains_."

Mimi gawked at the destruction Iori caused, her mouth hanging open in a small O shape. "That… how did he…?"

"Amazing…," Patamon said, his voice hushed with awe. "I didn't think humans were capable of being so strong."

Miyako pulled herself back onto her feet, wobbling a bit due to her heels. She smirked at the gawking expressions of the other Chosen as she readjusted her glasses. "Now you know why I brought Iori along as my bodyguard." With her glasses back in place, she was able to get a proper look at the hole as a few more bits of debris fell to the ground. "Though… that's impressive even for Iori."

"B-but he's… human!" Takeru said, turning to face Miyako in shock. "And that was an _Adult_ Digimon!"

"Do we have the time to discuss this now?" Iori asked. "The trap has been sprung. Should we not go forward?"

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Miyako said before pointing ahead of them. "Let's _go_, Chosen Children!"

* * *

><p>"What… what the hell was that?" Yamato muttered as he still stared at the laptop, struggling to mentally process what he had just witnessed. "Did you see that…?" The question was rhetorical, as there was no way anyone could have missed the sight of a single boy with a wooden stick smacking around an Adult Digimon. The expressions his friends wore were proof enough of that.<p>

"How did…," Taichi said, though words quickly failed him. Instead, odd noises came out as he gestured wildly towards the screen, as if somehow he could somehow articulate his thoughts through pantomime.

"T-that was… amazing," Sora muttered, her hand over her mouth. It was the only word she could think of to describe what she just witnessed. Anything else felt utterly, woefully inadequate.

"He… h-he is human, right?" Jou asked, before he let out an awkward laugh. "I-I mean, of course he's human, but…!"

Taichi finally wrenched his gaze away from the screen to turn to the other Chosen Children. "Who _is_ this guy_?_!"

Yamato shook his head slowly. "We're going to have to have a _long_ chat with Koshiro and Miyako about this."

"But… but this is good, right?" Sora asked before she turned towards the other Chosen Children, surprise giving way to enthusiasm. "It means he can protect himself, and he'd be a great help!"

Taichi raked his fingers through his hair as he tried unsuccessfully to accept the fact that one of the newest Chosen Children could fight an Adult level Digimon and _win_. "R-right. Right…" He let his hand drop as he shook his head to clear it. "Let… let's just check in on Hikari and the others for a little while."

Yamato nodded at that and typed at the keyboard before stepping away so that everyone could see the Digital Gate as it switched perspective. The brightly lit view of Factory Town changed instantly to an oppressive darkness that initially made him wonder if he had accidentally turned the computer off before he heard the sound of movement – footsteps against slime-covered brick. "Damn, it's still really dark."

"I really don't… remember it being so dark," Sora said as she stared hard at the screen, squinting to make out any detail at all. "In fact, I'm fairly certain it _wasn't_ that dark. I remember being able to see as we ran away from those Numemon."

Jou furrowed his eyebrows as he readjusted his glasses. "What's going on…?"

Yamato frowned as he crossed his arms. Nothing was making sense, and he did not like it at all. Even for the Digital World, which was notoriously loose with what it defined as 'normal', something seemed off. The fact that he could not pinpoint the reason _why_ made it all the more frustrating.

"Hey," Taichi's voice cut into Yamato's thoughts, causing the Chosen of Friendship to turn towards the Chosen of Courage. Taichi's expression was intense as he glared at the screen, his arms folded against his chest even more tightly than Yamato's, and spoke without looking away from the screen. "You know what gets me the most about the fact that Iori can kick a Digimon's butt all on his own?"

Yamato blinked, startled by the sudden question. "Yeah?"

Taichi let out an irritated breath. "I am _so_ insanely jealous of him right now."


	15. Chapter 14

The darkness of the sewers was oppressive to the point of being unnerving to the Chosen Children. Less than three meters from the entrance, the world beneath Factory Town became pitch black, darker than any night in the Digital World that they could remember. It was nigh impossible to see anything ahead of them, even after their eyes adjusted to the lack of light. The shadows hid all of their surroundings, making it impossible to tell where the walkway or sewage canal were in relation to each other without nearly falling into the latter. That alone made their trip slow to a crawl.

"Koshiro, please be careful," Tentomon said as he walked in front of Koshiro. After banging on the ceiling in the dark, he decided that being on the floor was marginally safer than flying.

"Stay close to me," Tailmon said as she held Hikari's hand tightly in her paw. Her eyes reflected the little light that eked in from the entrance whenever she looked back, much like the shine of a real world cat. "I'll take the lead."

"This isn't a good i–" Koshiro's words ended in a cry of alarm as his foot strayed too close to the canal and began to topple.

"Look out!" Tailmon shouted. For just a moment, she released Hikari's hand and lunged to grab Koshiro's arm, yanking him back to the safety of the walkway in the nick of time. "Be careful."

Koshiro clutched his laptop tightly to his chest as he leaned against the wall, not caring how it smeared a layer of slime against his back, as he focused more on the pounding of his heart. "Th-thank you, Tailmon."

Tentomon fumbled in the dark, his sight not much better than the children's, until he reached Koshiro's side. "Are you okay, Koshiro?"

Koshiro nodded, shaking a little. "Y-yeah."

"This isn't going to work," Hikari said. "Even if the Digimon can see in the dark better than we can, we're not going to get through this place safely without a light."

Daisuke's eyes lit up with inspiration, though no one could see it. "I've got it!" He patted himself down until he found what he was looking for. "Ah hah! Looks like _my_ outfit still has my pockets and stuff!" He whipped out a flashlight, just a small one barely larger than a double A battery, and clicked it on, creating a bright but thin beam of light that briefly blinded Hikari and Koshiro as it shone in their faces. "Ta da! I almost forgot I brought it along with the rest of my basic hero kit."

Though Koshiro had a couple spots dancing in his eyes after Daisuke redirected the flashlight to their surroundings, he felt relieved by the presence of such a powerful light. "Good work, Daisuke!"

"That was really good thinking, Daisuke," Hikari said. Her smile turned to a more curious look after a moment. "But what do you mean by 'basic hero kit?'"

Daisuke chuckled before he fairly beamed at Hikari. "It's just stuff I've seen come in handy in hero stories like ours. You know, stuff like a flashlight, compass, telescope, mirror, pens, a couple of puzzles… Stuff like that. I put them in my pockets every time we might be going to the Digital World."

Hikari blinked, surprised. "Oh. That's a good idea, Daisuke! Maybe we should be bringing more with us when we come to the Digital World…"

"Daisuke's so smart~!" V-mon said, with great pride."You can definitely count on Daisuke!"

Tailmon crossed her arms as her expression turned disapproving. "It's something to consider. We're very under-prepared. While that's forgivable at first, it will eventually come back to bite us. Like now."

"It's just so strange," Tentomon said as he looked around at their surroundings. "These sewers weren't this dark before. When we were escaping the Numemon, we didn't need flashlights to see. Our path was perfectly clear."

Hikari focused her gaze towards the ceiling, which was only barely visible outside of the beam of light created by Daisuke's flashlight. "Maybe the Digimon Kaiser turned off all the lights."

Koshiro snapped his fingers and jerked upright. "Of course! _That's_ what was bothering me!" He sat down and opened up his laptop on his crossed legs, tapping away at the keyboard the instant the computer awakened from sleep mode.

Daisuke blinked at Koshiro. "Huh? What's up?"

"The lighting program!" Koshiro said. "Haven't you ever wondered why some places are well lit even though there's nothing giving off light, like light bulbs or candles or anything like that?" He scarcely waited for Hikari to nod, missing Daisuke's blank expression. "The Digital World has lines in its code that dictate the lighting levels of a particular area, which is why we're able to see at all in this place. The sewer's lighting level must've been dropped to zero, which is why it's pitch black!"

Tailmon scrunched her forehead as she stared at Koshiro, trying to process what he was saying. "'Dropped to zero'?"

Tentomon hummed thoughtfully as he scurried over to Koshiro's side, his shell faintly reflecting the soft glow of the laptop. "During Factory Town's gradual expansion, the Digital World must have adjusted the light levels for the sewer systems."

"What…?" Tailmon's ears canted back, unconsciously displaying her frustration towards the conversation. "What purpose would _that_ serve?" She felt like _something_ was amiss, and she always trusted those instincts. "What possible benefit would there be to removing the light in the sewer?"

"Actually…," Koshiro said slowly. "I think it's possible the Digimon Kaiser did this. Back when we were first exploring the Digital World, I found some coding physically written on the walls, and when I erased a part of it, the lights dimmed drastically. He could've found that same coding written somewhere in Factory Town and did the same thing I did. Though I'm not sure if he meant to turn out the lights in here or if it was for another purpose…" His fingers stilled for only a moment as his expression turned uncomfortable. "If the Digimon Kaiser is manipulating the Digital World's code…"

Hikari leaned over the computer screen, though she was unable to figure out what Koshiro was working on. "So we have to find where the code is and redraw it?"

Koshiro's troubled expression melted away as a confident smile replaced it. "We don't have to. I've been spending a lot of time studying all the info I gathered from the Digital World even after we lost contact with Gennai, and I can use my laptop to directly manipulate the coding from here like… this!" In the instant his finger struck the enter key, the darkness faded away and the details of the sewer became as clear as though they were back outside.

Daisuke jerked back and blinked repeatedly as his eyes adjusted to the change in light. "Whoa!"

Hikari beamed at her friend. "Great job, Koshiro!"

Koshiro could not stop himself from letting out a triumphant laugh. "It worked! It really worked!"

Tailmon squinted her eyes as they adjusted back to the light, a sly smile on her face. "That Kaiser thought he was being smart. He'll be in for a surprise."

Daisuke quivered with excitement as he clenched his fists before pumping his arms into the air. "Ha, _ha_!" He smirked at the ceiling, imagining the Digimon Kaiser's scowling face. "Take _that_, Tiny Tow–"

As sudden as if someone had flipped off a light switch, the entire area plunged in to darkness. The only light came from Koshiro's laptop, where its glow uselessly illuminated only little more than the Chosen of Knowledge's torso and face.

Hikari blinked repeatedly as her eyes readjusted to the sudden change in lighting. "What happened?"

Koshiro frowned at his laptop. "That's strange…I thought I had it." He went back to typing on the keyboard. "Hang on. I'll try seeing what went wrong."

V-mon frowned and glanced in the direction he thought Daisuke was, where he was certain that his Chosen had been standing just a moment before. He disliked the darkness, as it made it hard to protect Daisuke. If only he could see as well as Tailmon, but his eyes just were not that good. He muttered a word that he learned from watching late night television with Daisuke.

"Maybe I should keep my flashlight on," Daisuke said as he pushed the button on his flashlight. At the same moment, the lights of the sewer turned back on. "Or not."

"_There_!" Koshiro said with a satisfied nod. "That should fix the problem. I must've missed a line of code before."

"Good," Tailmon said. "Now let's go–"

While there was no sound, the assembled Chosen could metaphorically _hear_ the click as the lights turned off again, darkness rushing forward like a flood.

Koshiro scowled at the laptop screen. "What is going _on_? I was positive I had it this time!"

Hikari sighed. "Maybe we need to find where the code is written down."

"No, that shouldn't be necessary," Koshiro said, his fingers flying across the keys. "It should be that when I fix the code with my computer, if it's written down anywhere in here, the writing should appear by itself." He practically stabbed at the enter key when he finished typing, and a moment later the lights turned back on.

Scarcely a second passed before the lights immediately cut off again. Koshiro swore under his breath and promptly edited the code again, turning the lights back on only to have them turn off seconds later. The Chosen of Knowledge stubbornly continued to work on fixing the code, the lights flickering on and then off dozens of times in a handful of minutes. The result was a strobe light effect that brought with it an unpleasantly disorienting sensation.

"Daaaisuke…," V-mon said, his words trailing off in a whine as he rubbed his eyes. "I'm getting dizzy…"

Daisuke covered his eyes. "How about we just stick with my flashlight? I feel like I've snuck into a bad nightclub."

Koshiro let out a sound of frustration as he smacked his hands hard against the floor with a wet slap of slime. He scarcely noticed the unpleasant goop smeared on his hands as he was too focused on his frustration. "Why isn't this _working?_! It's like if I fix one line of code, another breaks even if I already fixed it a second ago!"

"Maybe we should just stop," Hikari said.

"Just one more try and I'll…" Koshiro's voice trailed off as he stared at a particular line on the screen. "_What?_!"

The sound of alarm in the Chosen of Knowledge's voice drew Hikari closer to peer over his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

The question had no sooner left Hikari's lips before she saw what had shocked Koshiro. While most of the code he was working on was little more than gibberish to her, there was one sentence at the very end that was perfectly clear.

_Don't you have more important things to worry about?_

Without warning and without Koshiro's input, the lights came back on. Such a thing brought the Chosen relief for only a second, which quickly turned into alarm. They were no longer alone in the sewer. Slime-covered Numemon surrounded them from all sides, their bulging eyes angled downward aggressively as they glared at the Chosen. Every single one of them had an Evil Ring hanging loosely around the base of their eyestalks, half-sunken into their squishy bodies.

Tailmon's eyes were wide as she gawked at the Numemon. She had been on guard, waiting for any sight or sound of an approaching enemy. However, in spite of this, she had somehow completely missed the encroaching Numemon. Numemon were not particularly fast or stealthy Digimon, either; their slithering tracks were distinct and easily noticed. Yet, she had heard nothing.

Koshiro jerked in alarm and cried out along with the rest of the Chosen. "What–" His words caught in his throat as he noticed the code disappear from his laptop's screen, save for two characters.

_:)_

Then everything went dark.

* * *

><p>The Digimon Kaiser finished his typing with a flourish, a quiet chuckle rumbling in his throat as he leaned back against a giant chair that looked like a modernized throne that hovered in the air without legs. The room was dark, save for the ghostly glowing green keyboard that hovered in front of him, and the countless two-dimensional monitors that covered nearly every inch of the room with different images across the Digital World. The two largest monitors were placed directly in front of him, giving him a show that brought a terrible smile to his face as he steepled his gloved fingers together beneath his chin.<p>

The Chosen in the sewers were screaming, scrambling to escape in the dark that was impermeable to them, but completely absent from the view screen. The Digimon Kaiser could watch them as clear as day thanks to his coding skills.

Another laugh, louder than before, slipped free of the Digimon Kaiser as he watched Daisuke trip and fall into the sewer runoff. The impudent chosen flailed about in the muck, crawling back to the path blindly in the dark, trying to avoid giant piles of poop flying everywhere.

Watching them scurrying about in the dark brought great perverse pleasure to the Digimon Kaiser. He could have watched it all day. This suited them. Little rats in the sewer, thinking they had gotten the better of him. As if such a thing could even happen in _his_ Digital World.

"Run, insects, _run_," the Digimon Kaiser muttered with an undercurrent of laughter mingled with malice in his voice. The sounds of confusion from his opponents was music to his ears. "You should feel at home in the _dark_."

"Is this really okay?"

The question came in a soft child-like voice from a small Digimon sitting on a large cushion placed on the floor to the Digimon Kaiser's right. The harsh shadows cast by the throne made it difficult to see much more than a vague silhouette and a pair of large, sorrowful blue eyes.

The Digimon Kaiser paused for a moment before he let out a derisive snort. "They can leave at any time. I'm not stopping them from gating out."

The Digimon's gaze never wavered from the Digimon Kaiser. "What if they get too scared to think about that while they're running around blind in the dark? What if the Numemon seriously hurt the Chosen Children on accident?"

"That won't happen," the Digimon Kaiser said. "The Numemon won't be able to ignore my orders – my Evil Rings will see to that."

"But what about Gladimon?" the Digimon asked, his voice tightening from anxiety. "He could've _killed_ that girl! His swords nearly hit her _head_! If that boy didn't figure out how to use his energy, then…"

The Digimon Kaiser's fingers twitched as he slid his hands apart, resting them against the armrests of his chair. "I clearly underestimated that monster. His inherently _vile_ nature is beyond my Evil Ring's control." He dug his gloved fingers deeply into his armrests while his once gleeful expression twisted with so much hatred that it turned ugly. His narrowed eyes were intense behind his tinted glasses, a terrible murderous anger blazing within them. "He'll need to be _dealt_ with."

* * *

><p>Takeru could not shake his uneasiness as his group ventured ever deeper into Factory Town. For a supposed trap, there was very little resistance. Even though Gladimon had put in a good fight, the Chosen had not seen hide nor hair of the strange Digimon since, or any other Digimon for that matter.<p>

"I don't understand this," Takeru muttered as his eyes scanned the area warily. "What's going on?"

"It's probably setup for more traps," Miyako said. When her footsteps wobbled, she grumbled under her breath for the umpteenth time about where the inventor of high heels could shove them. She straightened up and continued as though nothing had happened. "The Digimon Kaiser is probably holding back whatever he's got planned next for us so that we'll get jumpy waiting for it to happen and get sloppy. The second we drop our guard is when he'll throw something else at us.

Mimi rubbed her arms to alleviate a phantom chill that skittered across her skin like a swarm of bugs. "This is creepy… Where did all the Digimon go?"

Iori spared the other Chosen only the briefest of glances before he turned his attention outward. He had not seen any sign of resistance after the initial incident with Gladimon, but he was unwilling to relax his guard after what nearly happened to Miyako. "What does this… Kaiser normally do with his prisoners?"

Miyako's gaze traveled to the high ceiling as she began ticking off on her fingers. "Kidnapping, brainwashing, torture, imprisonment in inhuman conditions, gladiatorial matches for his amusement, and I'm willing to bet deletion too." She paused to glance over her shoulder at Iori. "Oh, and just to clarify, deletion basically the Digital World's version of death." After a moment of silence, she frowned. "Sort of."

Miyako stopped walking to properly turn and face Iori. "See, it works kind of like this. Digimon basically have a reincarnation system set up here instead of an afterlife, so no Heaven, Hell, or whatever. How it works out is that when the Digimon are killed, their current bodies are _deleted_, but they're reborn with memories intact in a place called the Village of Beginnings, but at their lowest level, so you could take out this super mega baddie and even if he comes back, he'll be too weak to be a threat anymore."

Iori stopped and turned to stare at Miyako. After several minutes, he furrowed his eyebrows. "I… see. So death has no meaning to the Digimon?"

Mimi cringed at the question.

Miyako shrugged. "Well, they avoid it obviously, but I doubt it's as bad for them as it is us."

"D-death is not something to take lightly!" Mimi said, her voice wavering. "Killing someone, Digimon or human… we can't ever treat it like it has no meaning!"

"Well, obviously," Miyako said, blinking at Mimi as she resumed walking to catch up with the more experienced Chosen. "Death isn't exactly a walk in the park even if you're going to be reincarnated. It probably hurts like Hell, but at least Digimon will come back with only a minor penalty. Us on the other hand…" Her expression soured "We only have one shot and that's it."

Mimi shuddered before hugging herself tightly. "Enough! I don't want to hear anymore! Can we talk about something else now, _please?_"

Takeru's insides clenched. He had similar thoughts to Mimi, but he did not dare voice them aloud. He glanced over to Patamon, only to see his partner looking right at him with a concerned expression. The Chosen of Hope looked away, hoping it appeared casual but knowing it was anything but. It only served as an uncomfortable reminder that Angemon's death had affected Takeru far more than it did Patamon.

Iori looked at Mimi for a long moment before he finally turned his attention straight ahead. "Be that as it may, this silence does not bode well. The Digimon might have been moved elsewhere."

"They probably got thrown into some dungeons like in that coliseum," Miyako said. "Or they're already working in someplace like that mining facility or something like that." She looked towards Mimi. "If it helps any, it seems like this guy is more into using the Digimon rather than killing them off."

"Not really…," Mimi muttered.

Miyako looked at Mimi for a long moment then shrugged. "Sorry. I don't know what to tell you then."

"The sooner we stop him, the better," Takeru said, his voice hard. "No one will suffer anymore."

Iori looked at Takeru and Mimi for a long moment, but said nothing to either of them. Instead, he redirected his attention ahead of the Chosen, towards the large buildings in the distance. "I imagine our goal will be the main factory. We might find the controls to this facility there."

_Miyako_…

Miyako inclined her head in Mimi's direction. "Yes?"

Mimi blinked at Miyako. "Huh?"

Miyako cocked an eyebrow. "You wanted something?"

Mimi stared at Miyako, baffled, then shook her head. "I didn't say anything."

"Oh," Miyako muttered before shifting her gaze downward slightly. "Was it you, Palmon?"

Palmon shook her head. "No, I didn't say anything."

_Miyako_…

Miyako jerked her head up to stare past the other two girls. "There it is again! Someone is calling my name!"

Iori stopped and glanced about, then tilted his head to listen. Seconds ticked by slowly and he frowned, feeling uneasy. "I'm afraid I don't hear anything."

Takeru furrowed his eyebrows. While his initial response was to deny hearing anything, something about the situation gave him reason to pause. It felt very similar to the incident with Daisuke, when the other Chosen Child found V-mon's egg. He recalled how Daisuke claimed the exact same thing, hearing a voice call the goggle boy's name – a sound that Takeru did not hear at all. "Are you sure, Miyako?"

_Miyako_…

Miyako's eyes lit up with excitement. "I know what this is! Koshiro said Motomiya heard his partner's voice in his head!" Without another word she was running, her high heels clacking harshly against the metal floor.

Mimi raised her arm to stop the younger girl, but was too late. "Wait, Miyako! This place is dangerous!"

"Miya-!" Takeru shouted before cutting himself off. With a grimace, he took off after the newest female Chosen. He imagined it would not be hard to catch up with her, given the rather obvious disadvantage her footwear forced upon her. "Let's go, Patamon!"

Iori raced after Miyako, his expression stern as he readjusted his grip on his bokken. "Miyako, don't rush off alone!"

Mimi moaned with displeasure before she ran after the others with Palmon at her heels. "Miyako! Wait!"

Miyako tuned out the cries of the other Chosen, turning all of her attention inward towards the quiet voice calling her name. It was pleading so softly, its voice so filled with emotion that it made her heart ache as much as it sang with excitement that she was finally going to meet her Digimon partner. She nearly snapped at the rest of the Chosen to stop being so noisy, but she did not want to risk drowning out the soft sound of her partner.

Miyako only eventually slowed down when the ethereal voice led her to a small alcove set strangely against the side of one of the factory walls. She would have kept running if not for the sudden appearance of a set of stairs made of steel mesh, with countless wires woven in between the holes. The sudden change in momentum caused her to wobble and she scrabbled at the wall for purchase in order to keep from toppling over, gripping the strange winding pipes that served as a guardrail tightly until she regained her balance.

Miyako peered down deep into the depths of the dimply lit stairwell and grimaced at the thought of walking down in heels. The worst part about the stairs was that they did not go straight down, as she could faintly see a sharp turn to the right at least two dozen steps down, and some inkling of light well beyond that, hinting that the stairs twisted back the other way further down. She noticed almost belatedly that there were tiny lights hidden amidst the countless wires and pipes that lined the walls, reminding her strongly of Christmas lights strung up around the city every winter. While pretty, the lights scarcely gave her enough illumination to safely make her way down with any real speed.

When her partner called her name again, Miyako took a deep breath and readjusted her glasses. "I'm coming!" she shouted. The sound of her voice distorted by an echo floated up out of the dark like a ghost, nearly drowning out that unseen voice as her partner called her name again in that same pleading voice. "Just hold on, I'll be right there!"

Miyako yanked at her boots, wanting to be rid of the cursed high heels once and for all, only to find that they were stuck on tight. It was as though the costume had been painted onto her, not unpleasantly tight, but conforming to the contours of her body so closely that she was not getting these boots off short of destroying them. After a few seconds of struggling and hearing her partner call her name again, she gave up. She scowled and thought dark thoughts of the costume department designer for the Digital World the entire time she marched her way down the stairs.

By the time the rest of the Chosen arrived at the stairwell, Miyako was well and out of sight. The group nearly the staircase altogether before realizing where the lavender hair girl must have gone.

"This is…," Takeru muttered as he stopped at the foot of the stairs. He found himself staring downward in to a black abyss, the metal steps leading downward to seemingly nowhere. "...Ominous."

"Mimi, be careful," Palmon said as she gripped the railing tightly. "I can't see the bottom at all."

"R-right!" Mimi said as she descended the stairs with the others. While there was just enough light to make their way down safely, a sense of unease crept its way up her spine and made her shiver.

"I'll go on ahead," Patamon said. He dove down into the stairwell without waiting for a reply, going much faster than the rest of the Chosen.

"This is… really coincidental, isn't it?" Takeru said, more talking to himself aloud than to anyone else. "Daisuke finds his partner as soon as he enters, and now Miyako? Are we going to find Iori's partner here, too?"

"I hope so," Mimi murmured despite her trepidation, never taking her eyes away from the stairs as they descended. "I'd hate to think of what would happen if the Digimon Kaiser found their partners first."

As the Chosen descended deeper into the depths, the light grew dim. While initially there had been external lights along the walls, the wall-fixtures slowly disappeared until the only source of illumination came from the odd lines that weaved through the stairways like circuits in a motherboard. The steps themselves changed, going from metal gratings to oversized computer circuit boards. The darkness grew ever more oppressive, making it nearly impossible to see anything else but the steps and their feet.

"I feel like we're in another world," Takeru muttered. He paused before he shook his head and cocked an ironic smile that the others could not see. "I mean, other than the Digital World."

"I wonder where this leads," Mimi said in a hushed voice.

Finally, after many harrowing minutes, the steps came to an abrupt stop at a large doorway. The circuitry covered the entire floor and made up the frame of the door. The Chosen glanced at each other before continuing to follow the unusual path, which seemed to be guiding them onward. All too quickly, the small corridor gave way to a massive room filled to the brim with gears and electronics. Glowing wires surged from the walls to the floor and across it to the center, where a massive device sat expectantly. It looked like a metallic temple, with steps leading up to the top, where a giant circular device thrummed with energy. It pulsated and sparked with electricity that touched translucent edges of energy shaped like a globe, which created a gentle light that filled the expansive room.

Standing in front of the device at the very base of the steps was Miyako, with Patamon hovering not far behind her. Both were staring at what hovered at the center of the massive globe – an egg big enough to come from an ostrich, colored in a light shade of purple and accented with wine red patches.

Iori openly gaped at their surroundings as his footsteps ground to a halt. "What is this…?"

Takeru's eyes instantly locked onto the egg. "I knew it," Takeru said quietly. The situation was exactly like what had happened with Daisuke, though the temple was decidedly different for V-mon.

"Wooow…," Mimi murmured as she took everything in. When her eyes focused on the egg, the gloom that hovered over her since they descended the stairs disappeared and she let out a short laugh filled with cheer. "Ah! That must be Miyako's partner!"

A smile slowly blossomed on Miyako's face as her awe gave way to a sense of smug satisfaction. "Hey, Partner. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Iori continued to stare, almost in a daze, until he noticed Miyako on the move, approaching the electrified altar. Instantly alarmed, he darted forward and reached out for the class representative. "Miyako, what are you–!_?_"

Iori was too late to stop Miyako and was forced to skid to a halt short of the energy globe as a small jolt of electricity singed his fingers, forcing him to jerk his hand back as he bit back a yelp. He expected Miyako to be worse off, but instead she passed harmlessly into the miniature lightning storm as though it was nothing more than a light show made by laser pointers, even as electricity danced across her skin.

"What–?" Iori could do little more than stare. It was not just surprise that kept him from moving, but preservation instinct as well. He stopped close enough to the globe of electricity that he could feel the static electricity prickling its way across his body. None of Miyako's hair was even standing on end, unlike the finer ones on his head.

"Miyako!" Mimi shouted, unnerved by the sight of small bolts of lightning running across Miyako's body. "Are you okay?"

Miyako focused only on climbing the steps of the strange device without catching her heels on the edges, and the egg that waited for her at the top. The startled sounds the others made were as much background din as the crackle of electricity or the metallic echo that came each time her boots touched down on the steps. Her eyes continually drifted from the egg to her feet and back, never straying from either for long.

Patamon hovered upward as Miyako did, though he stopped a short distance from the edge of the globe, nowhere near as confident about entering the sphere as she was.

Once Miyako reached the top, she paused only a moment to admire the egg, how the arcing electricity played light across its faintly shiny surface. In that instant, the enormity of the situation impressed itself upon her. The egg floating before her contained her partner, a wondrous creature made specifically for her. They were bonded on a level that defied definition. From this moment forward, they would be responsible for caring for one another, as well as the entire Digital World. She would never simply be Miss Class Representative again, but truly a Chosen Child.

Miyako had practiced what she would say to her Digimon partner when they first met, should he even exist, a million over in her head. However, now that the moment had arrived, those words lay jumbled pile tangled with her overwhelming emotions. She was still fumbling for the right words to say even as she took the egg into her arms and the electricity that surrounded her and her partner disappeared, as though the egg was the source of all that power to begin with.

Finally, Miyako closed her eyes and let out a breath that took her tension with it, save for a wonderful tightness in her chest. When she found the only words that fit, they came out in a whisper that brushed against the egg like a caress. "Thank you…" Her eyes were shining with tears when she opened them again, blurring her vision of the egg, but she could scarcely bring herself to care. "Thank you."

Iori surveyed the area through narrowed eyes, verifying the electricity was truly gone, before he focused on the girl atop the temple steps. His expression twisted into a fury that surprised the other Chosen, as it was the most emotion any of the Chosen had ever seen on his face. "Miyako! That was reckless, even for you!"

Patamon flew in a circle around Miyako and the egg to get a better look at them from all angles now that the electricity is gone. "Are you two okay?"

Miyako dashed away the moisture from her eyes with the back of her hand and flashed Patamon a smile. "Of course I'm okay." She turned to face the others, particular Iori. "My partner would _never_ lead me into danger."

"Yoink~!"

The playful voice came from directly behind Miyako. She barely had time to register it before a hand covered by a dark glove snatched her egg from her grasp. She scarcely managed to gasp and turn her head before another hand pushed her shoulder. The action was not harsh or painful, containing only just enough force to tip her past the edge of her high heels into gravity's demanding embrace.

Miyako let out a scream as she careened over the edge and fell from the top of the temple. Iori instantly rushed to catch the falling class representative, but he did not make it in time to reach her.

Fortunately, Miyako did not hit the floor. Instead, the shockingly large hands of a humanoid Digimon caught her before she fell too far. The Digimon wore a red dress, matching elbow-length gloves, a flowing black cape, and a witch's hat where a ghostly cat with a distorted lower half sat. The Digimon sat sidesaddle on her broom and gently placed the Chosen Child in her lap.

The Digimon, Witchmon, winked and wagged a large clawed finger at Miyako. "Careful, Dearie~! You shouldn't go around wearing those things if you don't know how to use them properly."

Atop the temple, the culprit who pushed Miyako over the edge was none other than the Digimon Kaiser. He held her egg elevated in one hand so that the Chosen were sure to see it. He inclined his head in their direction and flashed a crooked smile at the Chosen as they outright gawked at his sudden appearance. "Surprise~?"

Once Miyako recovered from the unexpected fall, she thrashed in Witchmon's grip. "Let me _go!_"

Witchmon blinked and cocked her head. "Oh dear, that's not a very nice thing to say to the person who saved your life." As she spoke, her cape moved on its own around, wrapping itself around Miyako and binding the struggling girl from head to foot. "What _are_ they teaching you human girls anyway?"

"Miyako!" Iori shouted as he charged towards Witchmon, gripping his bokken tightly at the ready. Unfortunately, the Digimon hovered high in the air, hopelessly out of his reach. "Release her, immediately!"

"What are you doing!_?_" Takeru yelled as he glared at the Digimon Kaiser, his eyes focusing on the egg. "Give that back – _now!_"

"Hm~?" the Digimon Kaiser tilted his head back as he shifted his hold on Miyako's Digiegg, balancing it on the tip of his index finger before spinning it precariously like a ball. "What was that~?"

"The egg!" Mimi shrieked. "He's going to break it!"

Patamon growled and dove for the Digimon Kaiser. "Don't you _dare!_"

The Digimon Kaiser easily twisted out of the way of Patamon's charge, flicking his hand to toss the Digiegg into the air before he rolled it along his right arm and bumped it with his elbow, then caught it with his left elbow and allowed the egg to roll to his left hand in one smooth gesture. This freed up his right hand, allowing him to backhand Patamon smoothly when the Digimon tried again to reclaim the Digiegg. "Idiot."

"Patamon!" Takeru bolted towards the temple and caught his partner just before Patamon could hit the ground.

Mimi pulled out her Digivice. "Come on, Palmon! We have to save Miyako and her partner!"

"Got it, Mimi!" Palmon said as she clenched her fists.

"Indeed you do~!" the Digimon Kaiser. Once more he sent the Digiegg spinning on his fingertip, purposefully wobbling it to and fro as though he were daring it to fall from his grasp. He raised his free hand, pressing his thumb and middle finger together in front of him in an exaggerated motion. "Starting right… _now_."

The Digimon Kaiser snapped his fingers, the sound unusually loud within the large chamber. A split-second later, the dim light that barely kept the area illuminated died completely, plunging the entire room into darkness. Chaos descended in that same instant, as the Chosen cried out in alarm, waiting for some sort of attack or at least for their eyes to adjust. Neither happened.

After a few more moments of complete confusion and no sign that the darkness would wane, a sudden glimmer of light appeared near the temple. The source was Takeru, specifically his Digivice. The small screen cast a gentle glow that illuminated his face and most of his upper body.

"Good, that worked," Takeru muttered, then glanced about and aimed his device outward like a flashlight. "Is everyone okay?"

"I'm okay, Takeru," Patamon said as he flew over to his partner's side.

Unfortunately, Patamon was the only person to respond to Takeru. To the pair's alarm, as the Chosen of Hope swept the light of his Digivice in every direction, they found that they were no longer in the temple that held Miyako's egg. Instead, they stood in the middle of a narrow, unfamiliar metallic corridor with no one else in sight.

"What… what–?" Takeru struggled for words as he kept moving his Digivice about, using the faint light from the screen to feebly pierce the darkness, though he had a hard time accepting what he found. "What happened!_?_"

"The others are gone!" Patamon shouted. He darted upward with the intent of getting a better look around, only to bang into a ceiling that he had been unable to see in the dark. He yelped upon impact and nearly crashed into Takeru's head before he righted himself, landing on the Chosen of Hope awkwardly instead.

Suddenly a bright light flared in Takeru's face, causing him to cry out as he was momentarily blinded. Once the spots died down, he found himself staring at a large television screen. At first, he thought it was built into the wall, but then he noticed that the screen casting light on the wall behind it. The screen was practically two-dimensional, floating in the air without anything to explain how it got there.

Displayed on the screen was none other than the Digimon Kaiser, who stood in a room filled with computer monitors and other hardware. "Insects, bugs, and rodents~!" the tyrant said grandly with a majestic wave of his hands. "Welcome to the first, glorious edition of the Digimon Kaiser's _penalty game_~!"

The screen did not appear to just Takeru and Patamon, but the rest of the Chosen groups as well where they were scattered throughout Factory Town. Mimi and Palmon shrieked in alarm when the screen appeared before them, while Iori glared at the Digimon Kaiser with open hostility. Back in Koshiro's apartment, the image in the Digital Gate was replaced with the young tyrant's smiling face. In the sewer, the group found brief respite in the dark from their pursuers a mere minute before the Digimon Kaiser appeared before them. Unnervingly, despite the illuminating a large portion of the sewer tunnels nearby that group, there was no sign of any Numemon.

Takeru barely kept himself from gawking at the Digimon Kaiser in disbelief. "What is this–?"

"Takeru?" The name left Hikari's lips the instant she heard Takeru's voice emanate from the video screen, inadvertently interrupting the Chosen of Hope.

Tailmon's ears flicked towards the screen, half expecting to see Takeru appear on it, but there was only the Digimon Kaiser.

"It is with _great_ pleasure to greet you this evening," the Digimon Kaiser said, with a crooked smile. "Right from the control room of the ever-_disappointing_ Factory Town. Hello and how _are_ you this evening~?"

"What the!" Taichi yelped. "He hacked the Digital Gate!"

Those words were repeated through the video feed, shaking Koshiro to his core. "_What?_!"

"Hmhmhm, now pay attention, _children_," the Digimon Kaiser said as he tapped his cheek with a gloved pointer finger. It was clear that he was barely keeping himself from laughing. "The Kaiser is talking~!"

"You! What the hell have you done!?" Yamato practically snarled as he gripped the edge of the desk, barely resisting grabbing the computer monitor.

"Now then, you all have two choices before you," the Digimon Kaiser said, ignoring Yamato's anger. "One, you leave. _Now_. Use your little Digivices and gate out of my world, with all haste. If you do that…" The young man in the outlandish outfit turned and draped his arms against the back of a swivel chair in the center of the room, turning it so that the Chosen could see Miyako, bound tightly to it. "And I'll be a _very_ good sport and send our lovely _damsel_ out right after you."

"Miyako!" Iori shouted, clenching his fists with rage as he stood in a nondescript hallway. "Are you all right!_?_"

Miyako was fuming, glaring holes into the back of the Digimon Kaiser's head. "Aside from being captured, tied up, and _angry as hell_ that this _arrogant jerk_ took my partner someplace _just because he's a stupid immature brat who can't make any friends so he has to bully others_, I'm fine."

If the insults offended the Digimon Kaiser, he did not show it. "Charming, isn't she?" He propped his chin on his palm as he used his other hand to idly flick the top of Miyako's head. "A real darling."

"Hey!" Miyako yelped when the Digimon Kaiser's finger lightly struck her head. "You are such an immature _brat!_"

Taichi glared at the screen. "So what you're telling us is to leave the Digital World if we want you to let her go, is that it?"

"My, it seems _someone_ was paying attention," the Digimon Kaiser said as he continued to flick Miyako's head idly, who yelped and snarled insults in response. "Yes, that would be your first option."

"So what's the second?" Daisuke said. "You're gonna torture Inoe in front of us until we leave? Is that it?" A small, guilty part of him was enjoying seeing Miyako irritated after all the grief she gave him, though he tried his best not to show it.

Miyako alternated between glaring at the Digimon Kaiser and the monitor screen. "Don't you _dare_ give him any ideas, Motomiya! His incredibly _juvenile_ tactics are irritating enough as it is!"

The Digimon Kaiser made a display of rolling his eyes. "Your _second_ option, should you be stupid enough to choose it… is to keep going as you are." He straightened up as he gripped the back of the chair and spun it about, so that both he and Miyako went twirling. "Face my darkened factory, and all the little _surprises_ I've left for you… in the oh-so-laughable hope that you might _actually_ reach your precious Miyako, let alone take back control of my factory. All the while, she gets to watch as you stumble about blindly like the idiots you are, safe – and – sound."

Miyako yowled as the chair picked up momentum and the world spun about at a dizzying pace. "Knock it off, you stupid idiot, or you'll be cleaning my lunch off that ridiculous outfit of yours!"

The Digimon Kaiser brought the chair to a halt as he grinned down at Miyako, before finally returning his attention to the monitors. "Well~?"

Hikari tried to look into Digimon Kaiser's eyes for some sign of his emotions, but the glasses made it impossible to see them. "Why are you doing this? You're a Chosen Child too, aren't you?"

The Digimon Kaiser paused for a few seconds, his expression unreadable. A second later, he let out a derisive snort as his lip quirked unpleasantly. "Of course I am, for much longer than any of _you_."

Mimi held Palmon close, anxious in the dark with the Digimon Kaiser threatening them. "What do you mean by that?"

"I know this world far better than any of you," the Digimon Kaiser said, his voice lowering as curled his fingers into the cushioning on the back of the chair behind Miyako's head. "You're so ignorant, it's disgraceful."

Takeru stared at the Digimon Kaiser, processing what he was hearing. "Wait, are you saying you're…"

Hikari's eyes widened as a notion struck her. "One of Ryo's friends_?_!"

The Digimon Kaiser froze, his fingers digging into the back of the chair hard enough to make the leather squeak as his jaw clenched tightly enough to bring him physical pain. All trace of amusement was completely gone, as tension stiffened his entire body. It took him several long seconds of hateful glaring before he finally spoke again, his every word hard. "How do you know Ryo?"

Koshiro gawked at the Digimon Kaiser, his jaw dropping. "_You're_ one of the ancient Chosen Children Gennai told us about?"

Taichi jerked forward, nearly knocking Yamato aside as he practically pressed his nose to the computer screen. "_No way!_ How could a brat like you be a legendary hero and turn around and do all this to the world you saved_?_!"

Daisuke's eyes nearly bugged out. "_What?_ You're saying Tiny Tower is really a legendary _hero?_!"

Hikari kept her calm better than the boys. "We met Ryo years ago. He told us some things about the Digital World and the Chosen Children that not even Gennai seemed to know. He mentioned your friend Keiko, but there wasn't enough time for him to mention you or the rest of your friends."

Though every monitor showed the Digimon Kaiser glaring out at the viewer with eyes hidden behind dark glasses, Miyako's perspective allowed her to see that he was focused entirely on Hikari. In front of the captive girl and tyrant were monitors that showed the faces of each Chosen Child in the Digital World, and a view of Koshiro's bedroom from the perspective of the Chosen of Knowledge's computer monitor. She smirked a bit, relishing the Digimon Kaiser's ire. "Well, looks like _somebody_ isn't having as much fun with his stupid 'game' as he thought he would."

The Digimon Kaiser's cheek twitched slightly as he gripped the back of the chair ever tighter, until the upholstery began to tear underneath his fingertips. Miyako cringed away from the display of violence as best she could, but his gaze never strayed from the monitor displaying Hikari's face. "You…"

Though Hikari could see the tension building in the Digimon Kaiser's body language, she knew that she needed to continue pressing the topic if they were going to get through to the fallen Chosen Child, or at least they might get some answers. "Where are they? Do Ryo and Keiko know what you're doing to the Digital World? Are they–"

"Shut up." The Digimon Kaiser's words came as a quiet mutter, but the emotion behind them was as hard as his grip on the chair.

Hikari paused for a moment, before her expression grew sad. "They don't know, do they?" A measured gap of silence was all the answer she needed. "Don't you think Ryo and Keiko would be upset if they knew that you were destroying the Digital World after all of you saved it? They're your friends, aren't they?"

"_Shut up!_" the Digimon Kaiser shouted, nearly deafening Miyako with his sharp, piercing command. He struck violently at the back of the chair, jerking his captive back and forth, whose protests fell on deaf ears. "_You don't know them! You don't know anything about them! Don't talk as if you know a damn thing!_"

Miyako nearly lost her glasses as she was jarred back and forth, blurring half of her field of vision. Once the shaking ended, she recovered her composure quickly and made a show of snorting and giving the Digimon Kaiser a disdainful glare over her shoulder. "Sounds like _someone_ is in denial."

The Digimon Kaiser did not spare Miyako a glance even as he stepped back and slapped the chair hard enough to send it into a spin that turned his captive into little more than a shrieking violet blur. He glared only at Hikari, as though nothing else existed but his hatred for her. "_You're nothing like her_!"

Hikari jerked back at the unexpected outburst. "What?"

The last thing the Chosen saw was the Digimon Kaiser's livid face before he turned off the monitor, plunging everyone back into darkness.


	16. Chapter 15

Takeru stood silently in the darkness, staring at where the holographic screen and the Digimon Kaiser's arrogant face had been only moments before. Whether the tyrant had meant to or not, he had given the Chosen of Hope quite a lot to think about. In the meantime, Takeru knew he had to deal with the situation at hand. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his D-Terminal. He was rewarded with light when the device's screen turned on, allowing him to quickly type an email. "Hikari? Are you alright?"

The seconds ticked by with infinite slowness, overflowing with an unpleasant amount of tension that caused Takeru to flinch when the D-Terminal beeped, informing him that he had a reply.

_We're fine. No sign of controlled Digimon. What about you and the others?_

Takeru grimaced as he typed his response. "No good, we were ambushed. Miyako found her egg, but the Kaiser stole it and her. We've been separated and I don't know where I am. All the lights are out."

Hikari's reply came after nearly half a minute.

_Same here. Koshiro kept trying to turn the lights on in the sewers, but apparently the Digimon Kaiser is controlling them. We're trying to find our way using Daisuke's flashlight._

"If you have to, our Digivices seem to generate a fair amount of light," Takeru typed. "Not enough to match a flashlight, but it's better than nothing." He paused, his finger hovering over the send key before he let out a sigh and added a little extra to his message. "I'm sorry, I wasn't able to protect Miyako after all."

The D-Terminal chimed just seconds after Takeru hit send. For a moment, he thought Hikari had written back, but the message was from Mimi instead, apparently sent to all of the Chosen Children.

_Where is everybody?_?_?_?_?_

Takeru stared at the message for a moment before he hastily sent out a response. "I don't know. I think the Kaiser separated us."

Seconds ticked by until Takeru got another message, but it was not one he wanted to see. It was a notification that an error had occurred when sending his email. His response did not make it through to Mimi.

"What?" Takeru stared at his D-Terminal with increasing alarm. A moment later, he was hastily typing out another email to Hikari, as a horrible feeling gnawed in his belly that the Digimon Kaiser had realized what they were doing and was now somehow blocking their emails. Considering the dictator could control not only the Digital Gates but also the lights in Factory Town, it seemed very possible. Trying again was the only way to check. "I can't reach Mimi. Are you still there?"

The seconds seemed to stretch on longer than they should before the D-Terminal's familiar chime cut through the silence.

It was another error message.

Patamon peered down at the D-Terminal with a furrowed brow. "What's going on?" He tried to hide his nervousness but was not quite successful. "Is something wrong with the D-Terminal? It was working just a minute ago."

"The Kaiser must be blocking us," Takeru muttered as he closed the D-Terminal with an ominous click before pulling his Digivice out again. "He must be watching us, and saw me contact Hikari, so he blocked it."

Patamon frowned as tension slowly seeped into his body. "This is bad. If he can block the D-Terminals and we can't contact the others, then we won't know if any of them are in trouble until it's too late."

Takeru aimed his Digivice in front of him, using the screen's gentle glow like a flashlight. "Which is the entire point." He frowned, as he noted that he could barely see a meter past his outstretched arm, but in this situation, it was the best he could do. "We need to go find the others, as quickly as we can."

Patamon nodded, his expression grim. "Right."

The two traversed forward with caution, the dark forcing them to move more slowly than they would have liked, as the narrow corridors and the occasional strange machinery that appeared in their path made it dangerous to run or fly around. The small amount of light Takeru's Digivice created cast harsh shadows through skeletal metal arms and odd devices of unknown purpose. The silence was just as oppressive as the dark, as the only sounds came from Takeru's footsteps against the metal grating that served as the floor, which echoed faintly, eerily around them.

"Hopefully Miyako's okay," Takeru muttered as he made his way slowly through Factory Town, or at least he hoped that was where they still were. For all they knew, the Digimon Kaiser could teleport them not just back to the real world, but anywhere in the Digital World, though he hesitated to state his fears aloud to Patamon. "Antagonizing that kid was admittedly not that good of an idea, not that either of us meant to."

Patamon let out a quiet hum as he contemplated the situation. "Do you really think he's one of the legendary Chosen Children?"

"I don't know what to think," Takeru said with a sigh. "We met Ryo and he mentioned Keiko, but there very well could have been other members of their group. But he could be lying to give himself some legitimacy, not that the claim actually would." He paused for a moment, his thoughts heavy with possibilities, before he shook his head and resumed moving forward. "In the end, does it even matter? What he did then and what he's doing now… they're completely separate."

Patamon sighed as well. "I guess that's true... Though he did seem pretty upset when Hikari talked about them."

Takeru's eyes moved from shadow to shadow, which danced in the dim light, creating the illusion of movement that set his nerves on edge. "I noticed that, too," he murmured as he recalled how the Digimon Kaiser flew into an unwarranted rage. "That was an… interesting reaction."

A faint clatter of metal interrupted Patamon before he could respond. Instantly, he was on alert, looking in the direction of the noise, with his entire body tense, ready to attack. "I heard something!"

Takeru tensed as he aimed his Digivice about, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was moving in the darkness. "Is it a Digimon?"

The shadows danced as Takeru cast his feeble light about, creating a false sense of movement all around them. It was disorienting, and it made it hard for him to know where to focus on. Patamon had similar issues as he strained his ears to catch another hint of whatever had made that noise a moment ago.

Patamon could feel his sense of unease grow with each passing second. "I don't know…," he whispered, not daring to speak too loudly.

Takeru's eyes darted from machine to machine, checking each device and cranny in-between. He was not willing to dismiss what they heard as just the darkness playing tricks on them. The Digimon Kaiser would not make such a grand show about this so-called "penalty game" if there were no nasty surprises lurking about. The only question was what, or who would come out from the dark to come after them. A terrible suspicion itched at the back of his mind as he kept in mind the fact that they had not come across Andromon yet, in spite of the knowledge that the Perfect was in Factory Town and completely ensnared by the Digimon Kaiser's mind control.

"Wait a sec!" Patamon said sharply, snapping Takeru out of his thoughts. "Turn the light back to the right."

Takeru obeyed, moving the beam slowly until Patamon told him to stop. Even after the light no longer moved, the shadows continued to shift, slightly off in the distance. He glanced upward at his partner briefly, who was focused entirely on that faint movement. Cautiously, he stepped closer, wary of what they might find.

What was hidden in the dark was something of an anti-climax. A small set of gears set along a wall were spinning slowly, creating faint clicking sensations that grew as they stepped closer.

"It's a… gear," Takeru said, slowly, almost disappointed that they found something so mundane. A moment later, a thought hit him and his eyes widened. "Wait, does that mean he turned the factory back on?"

The loud whine of some giant unseen engine starting up served as a better answer than anything Patamon could give. More shadows twitched at the edges of the light as metal clinked and clanked together.

"Be careful, Takeru," Patamon said, moving back slightly away from the moving gears. "You don't want to get caught in the machinery."

"No kidding," Takeru said as he passed by the gears, giving them a wide berth. "Everything is dangerous at this point."

A sudden snap of something metal close to Takeru's ear made him jerk to the side with a yelp. At the same time, Patamon cried out as he dove to the side to avoid a grasping metal arm from one of the machines.

"Look out!" Patamon shouted as the arm lashed out for them again, darting upward to evade its thin, almost skeletal fingers.

Takeru yelped again as a metal arm typically used for moving material onto a conveyer belt was suddenly reaching for him. He barely managed to leap back out of the way of the arm, as one of its cold, hard fingers brushed hard across his nose. When his back hit against the wall, he looked back to make sure that no other arms were behind him before scurrying further away from the machinery. "Patamon, this way!"

Patamon flew quickly after Takeru, barely dodging another robotic arm that darted out of the darkness. "I'm right behind you!"

"We need to get to an open area!" Takeru shouted as he ran blindly ahead as fast as he dared with only the small radius of light from his Digivice to lead him on. "We're trapped like this!"

"Right!" Patamon said. A second later, he fired off an Air Shot at an arm that lashed out towards Takeru, knocking it aside.

Without looking back, Takeru and his partner disappeared into the darkness as the machinery came to life about them. Using the faint light as his guide, all the Chosen of Hope could do was pray that the others were safe and that he could find them before anything happened to them.

* * *

><p>"We need to keep going," Tailmon said. "The Numemon are no doubt still looking for us."<p>

Hikari nodded, letting out a quiet, displeased hum. "Right. There's nothing else we can do here. None of the emails I'm sending are going through to anyone. Not even to the others back home."

Koshiro failed to stifle a groan, as he did not relish blundering blindly in the dark again. However, he managed to straighten up a bit as he regarded Hikari's D-Terminal. "The Digimon Kaiser is probably interfering with that too." He looked over at Daisuke. "How about you, Daisuke? Any luck?"

Daisuke frowned at the D-Terminal in his hand. "It's no good over here either. I must've sent out over a dozen emails to everyone, including Inoue, and they're all coming right back again."

V-mon slumped his shoulders as he held Daisuke's flashlight tightly with both hands. He felt somewhat better holding the flashlight, as he was at least contributing to Daisuke's safety instead of helplessly flailing about in the dark, but it was not quite enough for him. "That Kaiser… how can he do so many things_?_!"

"Koshiro," Tentomon said as he stood beside his Chosen Child. "I believe this confirms that the Digimon Kaiser can edit the Digital World's code."

"Yeah," Koshiro said with a sigh. "There's no other explanation."

Hikari's brow knit with concern. "So what does that mean?"

"It means that there's no telling what he can do to the Digital World," Koshiro said, his expression grave. "I've spent the past few years trying to figure out the code myself, and I've learned a little bit about how to manipulate some things, like the lighting and the creation of the Digital Gate… but in theory, if someone figures out the coding in its entirety… they could alter the entire Digital World completely."

Hikari jerked back as though Koshiro's words struck her, her eyes widening in horror as the repercussions sunk in.

Daisuke stuffed his D-Terminal into his pocket. "So you mean like turning it into what it is now with all the Digimon enslaved?"

Koshiro nodded. "And probably even worse than we can imagine." He folded his arms across his chest as his gaze turned inward. "I've been wondering for a while now how the Digimon Kaiser got those Evil Rings and Dark Towers… It's possible that he took the code that created the Black Gears and altered them so that he could control them."

"It also explains how he got in to Factory Town," Tailmon said, her ears canting back. "He really _did_ just walk in through the front gates."

V-mon stared at Tailmon with wide eyes. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"He could edit the door's code," Tailmon said, her voice harsh. "He didn't _need_ to blow open the dome or even go in through the sewers. He probably just edited the doors to be unlocked and waltzed in like he owned the place!"

"If that's the case…," Hikari said, her voice hushed. "Then that explains how he could take over the Digital World so quickly. Who knows what else he can do by editing the Digital World's code?"

Daisuke blinked then cocked an eyebrow at Koshiro. "So, wait, doesn't that mean you can just do the same thing right back at him to help us? Like, I don't know, edit the Evil Rings so they all open up or have all the Dark Towers fall apart?"

Koshiro rubbed the back of his neck. "In theory, I guess, but I have a feeling it won't be nearly as easy to figure out that code as the one for editing the lights, and you saw how the Digimon Kaiser blocked me there."

"Okay," Daisuke said with a shrug. "So we just ignore the code and keep kicking his butt like we have been." He clenched his fist in front of him and flashed the others a grin. "We'll just need to step up our A game and take this brat down!"

A new voice cut through the darkness, startling the group of Chosen. "Or, you could just go home."

Tailmon jumped as the fur on the back of her neck bristled. She whirled towards the new voice and froze when she found herself staring up at a smiling face reminiscent of a scarecrow. Instantly, her mind painted in the rest of the details, as visions of her oldest friend echoed in her head. "Wizarmon–!_?_"

"Close," the 'Wizarmon' said, with a grin. He snapped his fingers and a flame burst forward, illuminating him further. "But no cigar."

All similarities to Wizarmon ended with the appearance of the rest of the Digimon's face. He had no purple hat or cloak, but instead the colors were primarily a blazing red and orange that gave him the impression that he was being engulfed by flames similar to the one hovering above his fingertips. From his big boots and gloves to his trench coat with an exposed midriff that showed off his orange undershirt and his knee length shorts with orange flame trim, everything about him was painted in fiery colors. The top of his hat seemed to be made of fire due to its coloration and the way it moved, though it did not cast any light. Complete with the black belt buckles and goggles resting on top of the rim of his hat, he gave off the impression of being wild, punk version of the Wizarmon that Tailmon knew.

The comparison did little to endear this fiery new Digimon to Tailmon, who bristled and shoved down the feelings he raised viciously as she faced this potential new threat. "Who are you_?_!"

"The name's FlaWizarmon," the Digimon said, with a slight tip of his hat using his free hand. "Pleasure is yours, I'm sure~!"

Daisuke moved protectively in front of Hikari as he eyed FlaWizarmon with suspicion. "Hold on a second! You don't work for the Digimon Kaiser, do you?"

FlaWizarmon tilted his head while he looked Daisuke over with a critical eye. A second later, he flashed the goggle boy a grin before he directed his attention to Hikari. "Anyway, you really did a number on K-chan, but the offer still stands. I'm sure that if he sees you all have left, he'll send your little friend right after you."

"H-hey, don't ignore Daisuke!" V-mon snapped as he shined the flashlight at FlaWizarmon's face.

FlaWizarmon continued to smile as he toyed with the dancing flame in his hand, completely ignoring the light shining in his eyes. "Gonna be honest with you kids, you're kind of at a disadvantage. Even if you can use the Digimentals to evolve, it's nowhere near as strong as your normal evolutions. If K-chan throws something reaaaally nasty at you, you're going to be in trouble."

Daisuke's expression contorted in an emotion somewhere between amusement and annoyance. "K-chan?"

Koshiro's interest was instantly piqued at this new information. "You know about the Digimentals? What can you tell us?"

"Oh, just about everything," FlaWizarmon said as he snuffed the flame with a flick of his hand. He folded his arms against his chest before leaning back against the wall in a casual stance. "Give or take."

Hikari looked FlaWizarmon over, trying to puzzle the Digimon out. "Are you a friend of the Digimon Kaiser? I don't see any Evil Ring, and you don't really act like any of the controlled Digimon do."

"Oh, K-chan and I go waaaay, way back," FlaWizarmon said with a grandiose wave of his hand. He paused for a moment, as though considering something, then made a sweeping gesture with his arm. "Waaaay, way," he flicked his wrist again, "way," and then one more wave, "_waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay_ back." He cocked his head back and favored the group with a broad smile. "No Rings, no brainwashing, nothing. I do my own thing, and he's fine with that."

Daisuke scowled. "So you're fine with the Kaiser taking over the Digital World and enslaving everybody? Aren't you a Digimon too?"

"Yep, I'm a Digimon," FlaWizarmon said as he tilted his head. "And no, I'm in no position to argue with K-chan about what he's doing."

Hikari blinked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, the newbie won't get it and that's fine," FlaWizarmon smiled and nodded his head at Daisuke before turning his attention to Hikari and Koshiro. "But you two… don't you think he kinda has a _point_?"

"A… point?" Hikari repeated, aghast.

Daisuke scowled and stepped forward. "The _point_ is the one Tiny Tower has on his _head_! He's a selfish brat who finds it funny making other people suffer because he doesn't have a heart!"

"Devimon," FlaWizarmon said. "Etemon. Metal Etemon. Datamon. Vademon. Vamdemon. Venom Vamdemon. Metal Seadramon. Pinnochimon. Mugendramon. Piemon. Apocalymon."

Tailmon flinched at the mention of the vampire Digimon, her body tensing as her ears canted back.

"But they're all gone," Hikari said. "We defeated all of them and saved the Digital World."

Koshiro frowned. "Just what are you trying to say?"

"I guess I'm trying to ask…," FlaWizarmon said slowly, "why do you think they're gone?" He cocked his head curiously. "Is it a human thing?"

Daisuke pointed at FlaWizarmon, scowling. "Didn't you listen to Hikari-chan? She said they've been defeated, so they're not coming back!"

"Oh, I heard her just fine," FlaWizarmon said as he tipped his hat. "I'm just not sure why she'd say something that stupid."

Daisuke turned red with anger. "_Stupid?_! Don't you dare make fun of Hikari-chan like that!"

Hikari placed her hand on Daisuke's shoulder to stop him when he started moving forward. "Wait, Daisuke!"

Daisuke growled, but forced himself to remain still, instead raising a first towards FlaWizarmon. "If you insult Hikari-chan just one more time, I'm going to clobber you myself!"

FlaWizarmon regarded Daisuke for a moment before he started to chuckle, which made the goggle boy scowl all the more. He straightened up and shrugged. , "Well, I can see I'm wasting my time here. None of you are really interested in listenin', and that's fine. Yer kids, and kids sometimes just don't wanna listen."

"Wait!" Hikari said as she took a couple steps towards FlaWizarmon. "Please, tell us what you mean."

FlaWizarmon paused at Hikari's words before he regarded Chosen of Light with a frank expression. "I'm just sayin'… why do you think they're gone, just 'cuz you beat them up? That them gettin' sent back to the Village of Beginnings would change their hearts and knock the evil outta them?"

Hikari stared at FlaWizarmon as a cold dread began to well up inside her stomach. "You… you don't mean…"

"Wait!" Koshiro said. "Hold on a second. Are you trying to tell us that we have to face every evil Digimon we defeated all over again? I thought that when we… when we defeated them that they were reborn at the Village of Beginnings and that they wouldn't be a danger to anyone again."

"Huh, so you did know that," FlaWizarmon said as he blinked, then grinned. "So you really did think that they'd start being good just 'cuz you beat them up? Seriously? Man, you kids are adorable!"

Koshiro fished out his Digivice. "But the Digivices are supposed to be holy relics. We were told that they were made to purify evil here in the Digital World. We've seen them do this before with the Black Gears!"

FlaWizarmon arched an eyebrow at Koshiro. "And you think 'purifying evil' includes brainwashing?"

"No… not brainwashing," Hikari said with no small amount of unease, her tone uncertain. "Shouldn't it get rid of the evil that's tainting their hearts? Give them a fresh start so that they can try again to be happy?"

FlaWizarmon tilted his head slightly. "Is that how it works in the human world?" He made a sweeping gesture towards the Chosen Children. "Where if you beat up a jerk, they'll magically _stop_ being a jerk and decide to be your friend? 'Cuz you must live in a pretty wonderful world. That doesn't happen here. They just get pissed and wanna get this thing we call 'revenge'."

Hikari grimaced. "But the Digivices–"

"If they come back we'll kick their butts!" Daisuke shouted. "And if they try again we'll kick them again! We'll keep kicking them as many times as it takes to make them get the message to stop being evil!"

FlaWizarmon flashed Daisuke a wide grin and nodded as he gave the goggle boy a thumbs up. The amusement faded when he turned back to Hikari. "'But the Digivices should have made them good', right? That's what you were gonna say? Because all Digimon are naturally sweet and kind, an' only do bad things if they've been 'infected' with evil?" He paused to let out a quiet laugh that held no trace of humor. "That's a really sweet sentiment, Light Darlin', but… it'll get you killed."

Hikari grimaced in distaste. "That's…" She struggled for a way to argue her feelings, but everything she came up with felt flimsy and unrealistic.

Koshiro frowned, his expression severe. "So what are you suggesting? That what the Digimon Kaiser is doing is _right_?"

"I'm suggesting that K-chan has a _point_," FlaWizarmon said. "In a world like ours where strength is all that matters and the strong crush the weak, 'right or wrong' really doesn't seem to matter at all." He swept his arms out to his sides. "Most Digimon don't even care, and only complain when it affects them directly."

"I don't believe that," Hikari said, her voice tightening with discomfort that grew more pronounced by the moment. "Digimon know the difference between right and wrong. Most of the Digimon we've met were just like us, and the ones who were evil usually were controlled by something that _made_ them that way."

"Yeah!" Daisuke practically shouted. "Just because _you_ fell for that crap and can't even see just wrong things are right now with Tiny Tower getting away with murder doesn't mean everyone else can't!"

FlaWizarmon closed his eyes and let out a quiet, humorless chuckle. "Yes, Digimon know the difference between right and wrong. But like you humans, there are those that don't care." His gaze swept across the gathered Chosen until he focused on Tailmon, his mouth twisting at the edges to form a crooked smile. "Or are you going to try and say that what happened to your little partner over there was a 'misunderstanding', and that Vamdemon can't be condemned for torturing her for years because 'evil made him do it' and he's really a good Digimon at heart?"

Tailmon bristled, barring her teeth. The very suggestion made her insides clench, but she was unwilling to let her experiences be used to hurt Hikari. "Shut up! That's none of your business! How do you even know about that, anyway_?_!"

FlaWizarmon straightened up before he turned to walk away from the Chosen, lacing his fingers behind his head. "I knew someone who used to think like you, Light Darling. Someone who thought there was good in everyone and everything could be solved if we just gave them a chance."

FlaWizarmon stopped abruptly and the weight of the silence following his words forbade questions before he finally spoke again, his quiet voice echoing eerily in the cavernous tunnels. "...We're in a war, kids. If you're gonna keep treating this like a fantasy land where evil doesn't exist, you're gonna get killed. I suggest you go home and stay there until everything's safe again."

Hikari moved forward, hand raised, as the light illuminating FlaWizarmon winked out of existence. "Wait!"

"Hold it!" Daisuke said sharply. "Just what do you mean by war?"

There was no response. V-mon scanned the flashlight around in the direction FlaWizarmon went, but illuminated only more walls and the sewage canal. FlaWizarmon was gone.

* * *

><p>The control room was a mess, the walls lined with monitors and huge wires covering the floor like huge, twisted vines. Various scenes flittered across the screens, changing constantly as they showed each corridor, crevice, and cranny of Factory Town. Among those scenes were the Chosen. There were views of Takeru fleeing grasping machinery down a hallway, Daisuke and his group in the sewers, Iori walking through the hallways as he searched for the others, and Mimi looking desperately lost as she ventured through the monstrous hallowed cavity that was the main assembly room of the factory. The darkness that hindered the Chosen was strangely not present on the screens.<p>

It meant that Miyako had a perfect view of everything but was helpless to do anything with that knowledge.

Miyako squirmed in her bonds, but could barely move more than a few centimeters, as the black fabric held on tight to her body. "When I get out of here, I'm going to kick that little brat's a–"

Miyako's tirade was cut off with a yelp as she was jerked when the chair suddenly spun about 180 degrees to show her the Digimon Kaiser looming before her, his smug face inches away from hers.

"Really?" the Digimon Kaiser said with a vicious grin. "In those heels? That'd be a sight to see."

Miyako's cheeks took on a rosy hue as she glared daggers into the Digimon Kaiser. "This outfit wasn't _my_ idea!"

The Digimon Kaiser arched an eyebrow, his expression openly mocking his captive. "Then you wouldn't be wearing it."

"This stupid place _forced_ me to wear it!" Miyako shouted. "If I had a choice, I'd be wearing something a ton better than _this_!"

The Digimon Kaiser regarded Miyako for a moment in silence as his smile faded. She could not read the emotions flickering across his face, but she felt her anger growing towards him all the same. Slowly, his smile returned, much more sly than before, and he gripped the armrests of the chair, right around the Chosen's bound arms, as he leaned in closer, forcing Miyako to retreat back into the headrest on instinct. "You really have no idea why you're wearing that outfit, do you~?"

Miyako tried not to let the Digimon Kaiser know how uncomfortable he made her with his closeness. There was something also vaguely unnerving about the fact that she was unable to see his eyes through his glasses. "Oh, and you do?"

"Of course," the Digimon Kaiser said. "There's nothing about the Digital World that I don't know."

Miyako's gaze flattened. "Uh huh."

The smile the Digimon Kaiser wore was strained by a twitch in his cheek. He straightened up, giving Miyako some breathing room, before gesturing to himself in a grandiose fashion. "Quite simply, it's the same reason I'm wearing my own regal outfit – because I edited the Digital World's code. In particular, I edited the code that simulates our clothes when we enter this world. I simply told it to, rather than duplicate our real world clothes, create the outfit that we want to wear."

Miyako's eyes widened as her veneer of skepticism slipped away. "What?"

"Of course, I didn't think to edit the code so that it'd only affect me," the Digimon Kaiser said as he straightened up, crossing his arms. "It didn't occur to me that you twits would come scurrying in to this world like rats," He paused for a few seconds before he began to smirk again, vicious mischief in his eyes. "But given the circumstances, I'm glad I didn't. The experience has been quite… telling."

Heat flooded into Miyako's cheeks and she leaned as far back from the Digimon Kaiser's unnerving smile as she could. "What… just what are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything," the Digimon Kaiser said, his wide smile oozing with vindictive glee. "I'm outright _saying_ that when the Digital World accessed the recesses of your mind to generate your clothing, this is what it found. Now, what – does – that – say – about – you?"

Miyako's blush darkened further. "_What?_! No way! Why would I wear something this… this… _stupid?_!"

"Exactly," the Digimon Kaiser said with an undercurrent of laughter in his voice. "Why would you?"

Miyako felt increasingly flustered in the face of the Digimon Kaiser's arrogance and squirmed, wanting to escape now more than ever. "I-I wouldn't if I knew we had the option of picking anything we wanted!"

"You don't have the option," the Digimon Kaiser said, with a small snort of derision at the very idea. "_I_ have the option. You and the rest of those _insects_ are completely at the mercy of your inferior brains and whatever deeply rooted issues you have in there." He paused to lean back so that he could appraise Miyako's outfit with a lingering gaze before he finally quirked an eyebrow at her. "At the very least, it's amusing for me. I think I have a good idea what your Crest is."

Miyako glared daggers into the Digimon Kaiser, though she could not erase her blush no matter how hard she tried. "You think you're so smart. Fine, go ahead and tell me what it is then."

The Digimon Kaiser barked out a laugh. "Certainly not Pride! You don't seem to have any!"

"_Hey!_" Miyako shouted. She fumed in impotent rage as she struggled to free her arms, wanting to throttle the Digimon Kaiser. "You're one to talk, wearing something _ridiculous_ like that. Where did you get the idea from? Some third-rate super sentai where the costume designers stopped giving a damn?"

"Oh, you're so not in a position to throw that accusation about," the Digimon Kaiser said as he pointed at Miyako's outfit. "Miyako-chan, was it?" His lips quirked in a smirk. "Or should I say _Otaku-chan_?"

Miyako's cheeks burned a blazing scarlet hue. "O-_Otaku-chan?_!"

"Hm, yes, I think that fits you best," the Digimon Kaiser said as he crossed his arms, giving a short nod of approval. "Otaku-chan~!"

Miyako grit her teeth as she imagined bashing the Digimon Kaiser's head against the console. "Your stupid program put me in this sexist outfit and you have the _nerve_ to call _me_ the otaku here?"

"My program put you in whatever outfit best suited you at the time," the Digimon Kaiser said as he tapped his chin. "Something in your head lead my program to believe you wanted to dress like a heroine from some 'sexist' anime."

"Your programming is sexist because its _programmer_ is sexist!" Miyako said, practically snarling the words out. "Kidnapping one of the girl members of the group and hold her hostage? _How original._"

The Digimon Kaiser arched an eyebrow. "Nice straw man argument, but no. I would've kidnapped that boy with the sword as well, but apparently _he_ is actually capable of protecting himself. If you want to be treated as something other than a damsel, I suggest start by not being the second weakest member of the team. As it is, you're the only one that's actually safe at this point."

Miyako's gaze narrowed. "Okay, explain what you mean by second weakest and 'safe' because I don't feel safe at all sitting tied up in front of a brat that can hack an entire world and thinks he's a god."

"It was pretty stupid of you to come to the Digital World without your partner," the Digimon Kaiser said. "You're just begging to be targeted." He paused to make a broad sweeping gesture to his side. "And, in case you didn't notice, you were. Even getting your egg out of its pocket dimension didn't erase that fact. A newborn Digimon in a warzone is stupid, no matter how you look at it."

Miyako leaned back against the headrest as her expression deadpanned. "Okay, first of all, I can _only_ get my partner and Digivice by coming here, so that makes your first point moot. Second, what do you mean by pocket dimension? I just went downstairs into a basement temple… thing. Third, the one who's making it a war zone is _you_, who, if you didn't notice, we're trying to _stop_."

The Digimon Kaiser raised a finger and pointed it at Miyako. "One, you could've entered this world at any time, not just during one of your stupid 'missions.'" He raised a second finger. "Two, that temple only appeared here because _you_ did. That room never existed before you showed up. And three…" He lowered his hand and leaned back before letting out a scoff. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Good to know," Miyako said, her expression devoid of emotion. "So does that mean Iori's temple and partner are here now? Will it relocate if he leaves and comes back? Also, and this is most important…"A dangerous light entered her eyes as she fixed the Digimon Kaiser with a piercing stare. "_Where is my partner?_"

"No, it's not," the Digimon Kaiser said as he shifted his attention to the monitors, ignoring Miyako's hostile gaze. "No other rooms have appeared in Factory Town, which is fine by me. The longer his egg stays hidden, the better."

Miyako's anger only grew when the Digimon Kaiser turned away from her. "You didn't answer my other two questions."

The Digimon Kaiser glanced at Miyako out of the corner of his eye, silent for a few seconds, before he returned his focus to the various screens. "Anyway, you should sit tight for now. Once the others have run away screaming, I'll boot you out with them. Just be thankful you're in here and not out there."

"Aaaaand you're just going to pull the 'mysterious brooding villain' card and ignore me when it's convenient," Miyako muttered to herself. "Jerk." She raised her voice to normal volume as she shifted her gaze towards the monitors, her words practically dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, how _scary_. Metal grabbing arms. It's like a haunted house. Truly everyone will be wetting their pants with fear."

The Digimon Kaiser smirked as he approached the main console before snapping his fingers. "Shift view – laboratory."

The monitors obeyed immediately, shifting to display a dimly lit room. At first, Miyako thought everything was painted in red, but then she quickly realized that the lights in that room were red, much like a dark room, which created an eerie atmosphere. The room was filled with huge tubes that lined both walls, filled with bubbling brownish tinted liquid. Inside each tube was a strange thick black matter, as far as she could comprehend it. In some of the tubes, the substance resembled cracked eggs, about the same size as her own partner's egg. In others, they seemed to be shaped almost like fetuses, but twisted in appearance until they no longer resembled any known creature that she had ever seen. Each fetus looked to be different stages of development, some small and miniscule while others were much larger and more defined in appearance.

When the implications of what Miyako was seeing fully sunk in, revulsion twisted her stomach. "You're… _breeding_…" That was as far as she went before words failed her. What she saw on the monitor did not look like any Digimon in any stage of their development that Koshiro ever showed her.

"No, I'm not 'breeding'," the Digimon Kaiser said, his voice low. "I'm _creating_."

"You really do have a god complex," Miyako muttered, unable to take her eyes away from the screen. She tried to shake off her ill feelings, but her voice still came out strained. "So just what is it you're… _creating_?"

The Digimon Kaiser's smile broadened and he waited until Miyako finally looked his way before speaking again. "Laboratory – lights off."

Out of the corner of her eye, Miyako saw the lights in the laboratory shut off, plunging the room into darkness, drawing her attention back to the screen.

"Gamma tubes open," the Digimon Kaiser said. His words were followed by a hum in the darkness, followed by the sound of water striking the ground and the sickening splat of something viscous impacting against tile. Miyako strained to see anything on the monitor, but there was nothing but black. "Doors open."

"Laboratory – lights on!" Miyako said, raising her voice. She frowned when nothing happened and shrugged off the arrogant look the Digimon Kaiser shot her way. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

The Digimon Kaiser's answer was an impressively wide smirk and a quiet chuckle filled with vindictive glee before he snapped his fingers. "Resume monitoring routine." The darkness disappeared from the monitors, returning their focus to the various Chosen scattered across Factory Town.

Miyako felt anxiety creep its way up her spine, but she forced herself not to show it, regarding the Digimon Kaiser with a deadpan look. "You're waiting for me to ask what you just did, aren't you."

The Digimon Kaiser chuckled again before he shifted the chair, adjusting it so that Miyako had a perfect view of the monitors. "No, Otaku-chan. You're going to find out soon enough."

A low growl rumbled in Miyako's throat. "I'm going to shove those stupid glasses down your throat if you keep calling me that!"

The Digimon Kaiser's response was a deep, wicked laugh that bubbled up from deep inside him and grew in volume and intensity. He patted Miyako on the head as though she were a child before he walked away from his captive, leaving only his footsteps and laughter to linger long after he left her to admire his handiwork.


	17. Chapter 16

Mimi clutched her Digivice tightly with both hands, using the light from its tiny screen to illuminate what felt like a feeble amount of the area around her. She quivered as the dark oppressed her on all sides, and tried desperately not to think of horror movies that her friends would talk her into watching on sleepovers. The only reason that she could keep moving forward was the light and the knowledge that Palmon was right by her side. The solid weight of her partner's hand wrapped around her leg gave her enough support not to start crying when the machines started moving again, although the two did run blindly until they escaped the grasping metal hands.

"H-hello?" Mimi said, her voice hesitant to raise above normal level. "Is anyone there?" A part of her feared the answer, even as she wanted desperately to find her friends again. "Takeru? Patamon? Miyako? Iori?"

The distant sounds of machinery and the pair's footsteps were Mimi's only response, no matter how many times the Chosen of Purity called out.

"M-Mimi, no one's answering," Palmon muttered, tightening her grip on her Chosen. "But I-I'm here, so I'll protect you…!"

Mimi nodded, though she did not feel as comforted as she would have liked. When the light cut through the dark and illuminated a boney thin monster with silver claws reaching out for her, she jumped back with a yelp. A moment later, she realized that it was just some strange machine on a conveyer belt, its robotic arms frozen in mid-grasp. A thin whine eked out from the back of her throat. "I hate this! I want to go home!"

Palmon moved in front of her partner, spreading her arms out to shield her partner as she glared at the machine. When it was clear that it wasn't an enemy, she sighed and dropped her arms. "What should we do, Mimi…?"

An almost manic feminine giggle floated through the dark. "Why don't you just go home then?"

Mimi shrieked and whirled around, heart pounding in her chest, as she aimed her Digivice in the direction of the new voice. However, it seemed she did not need to bother to redirect her light, as Witchmon hovered behind her with a halo of tiny flickering flames dancing around the witch-like Digimon's head, casting enough light on her and her ghostly cat to illuminate her perfectly to both of the Chosen.

Witchmon let out another round of that odd laughter of hers. "Why, you're so jumpy, you won't last much longer in K-chan's little game. Why don't you save yourself all the stress and just head on home now?"

Palmon immediately moved in front of Mimi, crouching in a defensive stance. "You're that Digimon from before!"

The spirit-like cat atop Witchmon's let out a loud meow as the female Digimon smiled brightly at the pair of Chosen. "Oh goodie, you remember me~! I'm so glad I left a lasting impression." Witchmon cocked her head slightly as the smile faded into a much more somber expression. "But, seriously, go home. You really don't have any idea what you're messing with right now."

Palmon growled as she clenched her fists. "You just want us to let the Kaiser keep doing whatever he wants!"

Witchmon clapped her hands together as her smile returned in full force. "Exactly! I'm so glad you understand!"

Mimi stared at Witchmon, dumbfounded and increasingly horrified at the Digimon's enthusiasm. "But… how can you side with the Digimon Kaiser? He tortures Digimon! He's so cruel… so unbelievably cruel…"

Witchmon blinked owlishly at Mimi before she tapped an oversized finger to her cheek and sighed. "Ahhhh… I guess it's true K-chan is going overboard a little bit in some places, but, really, his intentions are a lot better than you think."

Mimi clenched her Digivice tightly in her hand, so tense that she trembled faintly. "He _beat_ Palmon! And Tailmon! He's captured our friends, brainwashed them into attacking us, and he tortures so many Digimon…" A hiccup escaped her as her vision blurred with tears. "How can you say he has good intentions_?_!"

Witchmon's expression turned sympathetic. "You really are such a sweet girl, aren't you? This world isn't the place for you right now." She directed her gaze to Palmon. "You're supposed to be protecting her, yeah? The best thing you can do is take her home until it's all over. K-chan will let you know when it's settled." She paused for a moment then shrugged. "Or not."

"No way!" Palmon snapped as she puffed her chest. "I'm going to protect Mimi and help her save everyone!"

Witchmon let out a trill of laughter. "You're such a cutie~! All you Chosen Digimon are so cute I can hardly stand it!"

Mimi swabbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "Why are you helping the Digimon Kaiser? You don't seem like you're being controlled, so why…?"

Witchmon smiled brightly at Mimi. "Because K-chan needs my help right now, of course. He needs all our help really, but, uh… he kind of doesn't like you right now. Hasn't for a while actually. Not since you all decided to start interfering and setting things back a bit. It's a shame, but, well…" She shrugged. "It's better to just try and make friends with him later after the war is over."

Mimi outright gawked at Witchmon. "_Friends?_!"

"We'd never want to be friends with someone like _him_!" Palmon said, practically spitting the words out. "He's horrible!"

Witchmon sighed deeply. "You really shouldn't say bad things about poor K-chan. He's had it so rough, you see."

"_He's_ had it rough?" Mimi all but screamed. "Why is he more important than Palmon, Tailmon, or any of the other Digimon_?_!"

Witchmon's smile turned sad and as she bowed her head, which caused the brim of her hat to cast dark shadows over her eyes that hid them from view. "It's not just K-chan," her voice lowering. "All of you Chosen Children are so much more fragile than any of us Digimon." She exhaled deeply and her expression turned cheerful once more. "Anyway, let's not talk about such sad stuff, shall we? What's it going to take to convince you to go back home and leave the Digital World to us?"

Mimi had to pause for a moment, as the brief but sudden shift in Witchmon's mood caught her off guard. She blinked slowly, confused and unnerved by the ominous air that hung over the Digimon's words, before her irritation came back in full force. "Have the Digimon Kaiser let go of all the Digimon and give our friends back! What he's doing is wrong! It's all wrong! And nothing you can say will convince me that it's not!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Palmon said. "Give everyone back!"

Witchmon clasped her hands together, which blocked out nearly all of her face but her winking eye. "Aww… come on, girls! Don't be like that. Let's compromise a little. How about I see if K-chan is willing to give back that egg when he sends your friend home? How does that sound?"

Mimi frowned. "What about the rest of our friends? Are you going to let them go back home too?"

Witchmon's eyes drifted away from Mimi as she began twiddling her fingers together. "Weeeeeeell… I don't think K-chan would be willing to let go of _all_ of them just yet. He's got pretty important plans lined up for them. Though maybe he'll part with Piyomon and Gomamon if you promise to stay away."

"That's horrible!" Mimi shouted. "We want _all_ our friends back! We can't just let you torture innocent Digimon either!"

Witchmon let out an awkward chuckle as she folded her hands in her lap. "You keep saying that, but, really, you kids need to stop jumping to conclusions and thinking K-chan is the bad guy here."

Mimi's expression darkened, her body quaking with rage. "How can you… how can you say… that the Digimon Kaiser is not a terrible person… after everything… everything he's done_?_!"

"Don't you care at all_?_!" Palmon shouted as she made a wide gesture with her hands, just as livid as her partner.

Witchmon's shoulders slouched and she let out a displeased noise as her ghostly cat circled around her head. "What to do, what to do?" She returned her attention to the Chosen. "We really don't have time to argue about this, you know? You should really just go home, before they get here."

Confusion wore down only a fraction of Mimi's anger. "What do you mean?"

Witchmon let out her breath in a deep sigh as her body slumped before she buried her face in one of her massive hands. "My oh me… If you're not willing to negotiate on this at all, it really puts me in quite a bind here. You all seem like such sweet children. It really is such a shame…"

Mimi found it harder to hold onto her rage in the face of Witchmon's apparent sincerity and sadness. "Please! If you care about us… about _any_ of us at all… you'll make the Digimon Kaiser stop this! If you really think he's a good person, then don't let him do such terrible things!"

Palmon growled in her throat. "That's if you're not really being controlled, too!"

Witchmon peeked at Mimi between her fingers. "I'm sorry, girls, I really am," She lowered her hand and her expression grew stony. "But it's far too late to stop now. Far, far too late."

A biting chill prickled up Mimi's spine. "What do you mean?"

Witchmon forced an unconvincing smile. "I know you won't, but, please, take my advice. Just go home before you get hurt. The Digital World isn't safe for you children… especially not now. Let K-chan fix it."

Neither Mimi nor Palmon were given a chance to respond. Witchmon's cloak suddenly fluttered between them, cutting off the halo of light the Adult cast. A second later, Witchmon was gone.

Palmon stared at where Witchmon had been, then snorted and turned to her partner. "Just ignore her, Mimi. She's just saying things to scare us–"

The rest of what Palmon said was drowned out by the most ghastly wail either girl had heard. It was inhuman noise, unlike anything made by either human or Digimon. The sound was distorted with static and a tinny resonance that sputtered and created brief loops in the sound as though it was a badly recorded scream of someone choking and gurgling through water. It sent a shiver up Palmon's spine that rattled her pedals. She barely heard Mimi shriek in terror beside her as she whirled around, instantly on alert, her eyes darting about in search for the source of the terrible noise.

Mimi trembled as she aimed her Digivice in the direction of the scream. Even after the sound trailed off, there were other noises to put her hair on end and her nerves on edge. There was a slurping noise of something wet creating suction against a hard surface, strange smacking sounds, and the white noise of waves against the shore or perhaps it was dead air on a radio. Worse, there were whispers – countless tiny voices jabbering, moaning incomprehensible things in a wide range of emotions, mingling shrill laughter with heartbroken sobs and the snarls of an angry beast.

Palmon moved in front of Mimi, spreading her arms to defend her Chosen Child, who was nearly petrified with fear. Terror gripped her tightly, but her nature as a Chosen Digimon won out. She would protect Mimi no matter what.

That was when the light from Mimi's Digivice finally found the source of the terrible noise. Once illuminated, the thing screamed again from countless mouths, and the two girls shrieked along with it.

* * *

><p>"It's no use," Sora said with a heavy sigh. "The screen's still completely black." She sunk down heavily into the computer chair in front of Koshiro's desk, which squeaked in protest. Turning the monitor on and off several times proved useless, not that she had expected it to be much good. It was better than Taichi's choice of shaking the monitor until it came loose, at any rate. Changing the view of the Digital Gate had much the same effect, showing nothing but blackness in Factory Town. She had been tempted to turn the Digital Gate off then on again, but she was afraid of what might happen to the other Chosen still within the Digital World if she attempted it.<p>

"None of my emails are getting through, either," Yamato said his voice practically growl. His fingers struck the keys of his D-Terminal hard as he typed yet another message to Takeru. "'If you get this, email me back!'"

Taichi snapped his D-Terminal closed with excessive force. "I can't believe this. This has got to be the Digimon Kaiser's work, but how is he doing this?"

"The same way he blocked the gate, I'm sure of that," Yamato said as he began typing yet another message, his eyebrows furrowed fiercely. "That little brat…"

Taichi ground his teeth together as he glared at the black screen. "It's bad enough that we have to just sit here and wait, but now we can't even _watch_!"

"I hope Miyako's okay," Sora said, softly. "What if he tries to hurt her…?"

Jou gripped his hands tightly as he sat on the bed, focusing on how his hands turned white from the pressure. "This is bad…"

A helpless silence settled in, as heavy as a blanket of lead wrapped around the four Chosen Children's shoulders, increasing their tension. A number of long minutes passed before Taichi could stand it no longer. "We have to go in there!"

Sora turned to stare at Taichi, with wide eyes. "What…?"

"We can't just stand here and do nothing while the others are in danger!" Taichi said. "We've got to do _something_!"

Yamato gave Taichi a sideways glance before he glared at the error message on his D-Termina's screen. "Like run head first in to danger ourselves?" His voice was rough with barely contained anger. "I know how you feel, I want to go charging in too, but we can't see anything, we don't know where everyone is, and we… don't have our Digimon. We'd probably get kidnapped ourselves."

"Gomamon…," Jou whispered, the name coming out strained with emotion.

Sora looked at Yamato and Jou for a long moment before she turned back to Taichi as she gripped her Digivice tightly in both hands. "I… I want to help but… we'd just get in the way…"

Taichi looked around at his friends for a long moment before he turned away with a curse. He stormed from the room so that he could pace in the hallway outside, his footsteps noisy as he stomped along. The others watched him for a little while before they retreated to their own troubled thoughts.

* * *

><p>Ever since entering the Digital World, Iori had received no real answers. As far as he was concerned, nothing had truly been explained, as what little he was told simply made no sense to him. He had gone along with Miyako blindly – something he was very familiar with – but this went well beyond some harebrained scheme to get a video game system at launch despite a long line or talking an adult into assisting with some plan of hers that she did not bother to explain to him.<p>

Iori was in a different world and he was completely lost.

Iori moved with caution as he made his way down the long and empty hallway, gripping his bokken tightly, ready to use it. He did not know where he was going or where the others were, so he had no option but to move forward and find them. With little light to the front and behind him, he could not see his destination until he got there – and then he would decide what to do then.

The only thing Iori truly understood was that Miyako had been kidnapped and held for ransom. He needed to rescue her before another monster with a sword and an arrogant attitude attacked her again. Nothing else – even the fact that he was in an alien world filled with monsters – mattered.

Still, an explanation for the bizarre situation with the lights would have been helpful.

Iori paused, feeling as though he was making no real progress, and glanced upward at the ceiling where a single red bulb glistened, shrouding him in red light. He should have felt grateful for its presence, as it was the only source of light in the hallway, and he would have been in the dark without it. However, the boy could not ignore the fact that the light seemed to be _following_ him. It made no sense, as ceiling fixtures were entirely stationary, but the fact remained that he was always directly beneath the bulb. There was no row of lights that turned on as he walked towards them and shut off as he moved too far away. That would actually have some sort of logic to it. Instead, it felt as if a single bulb was literally following him, bathing him gently in its soft crimson glow.

Frankly, it was starting to annoy him.

Iori cast a narrowed gaze towards the light that stalked him before returning his attention to the path ahead of him. After a moment's consideration, he gave in to his first impulse and broke into a run at top speed, charging into darkness despite not being able to see what waited ahead of him. As he sprinted, he noticed the light still following him, matching his speed perfectly.

Iori kept going for nearly half a minute before he abruptly stopped, skidding several feet before springing into the opposite direction and dashing off as fast as he could go. To his annoyance, he found that the light still followed him and he frowned as he looked up to see the bulb was still directly above him, matching his speed and movements perfectly. He darted left and right, changing direction and speeds in erratic patterns, not thinking of where he would go to keep his movements as unpredictable as possible. The light remained where it was, always hovering directly overhead like a shadow that would not disappear.

Finally, Iori emerged from the tight, narrow space of the hallway into a vast open room with a high ceiling. He looked up to see if there was any change, but though the bulb raised along with the ceiling, the circle of light around him was still the same size and exactly the same luminosity. Gritting his teeth, he surveyed the room and focused on a large machine with a conveyer belt feeding into a sizable gap. He had no idea where the conveyer belt led or whether the machine might turn on, but he went inside regardless of the danger to escape the damned light that was hounding him.

Much to his frustration, the light came with Iori into the machine. He did not see the bulb move, but once he was inside, he looked up to see it directly above him, barely a hand's width above his head.

"This… makes no sense," Iori muttered as he eased his way out of the machine, keeping his eye on the light bulb the entire time. Seeing it suddenly transition from the inside of the machine to the ceiling in an instant was disorienting and more than a little unnerving. He moved in and out to get a sense for its speed, but there was no blur of movement – one moment it was on the ceiling and the next it was inside the machine near his head, as though it had always been there.

Unnerved and agitated, Iori took a swing at the bulb with his sword once inside the machine again. The bulb did not shatter, as he expected it to. It did not even budge a single centimeter away from him. Instead, the force he put into the blow jarred his arm, nearly making him drop his bokken as a result. It was as though he had struck a solid piece of titanium instead of a hollow sphere of glass.

Iori slid out of the machine and backed away from the conveyer belt hastily, never removing his gaze from the bulb that was always looming over his head. He could feel his anxiety grow towards the light bulb – towards this entire alien world – by the second. "This is… this is impossible."

An unfamiliar voice floated from behind Iori. "So you're one of those kind of people who look a gift horse in the mouth, aren't you?"

The muscles in Iori's body locked up with tension for a moment before he slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder, even as his grip tightened on his bokken. "I'm not interested in Trojan Horses."

Witchmon hovered above Iori a short distance away, just outside of the circle of red light, with a halo of her own floating around her head. "I'm just saying that K-chan was kind enough to give you a handicap since you don't have your Digimon yet, so you shouldn't be so ungrateful. He could've let you bump around in the dark like the others."

"'K-chan'?" Iori said slowly. He allowed himself to be confused by the name for only a moment before he focused on more pressing matters, his eyes narrowing at the Digimon before him. "I don't recall asking for a 'handicap.'"

Witchmon wagged a finger at Iori as she clucked her tongue. "Don't be too hasty now, Sweetie. If you stay here, it won't be long before you'll be wishing that there was much more light than this."

Iori looked over the Digimon with a critical eye as he tightened his grip on his weapon. "Release Miyako."

"My, my," Witchmon said as she focused her gaze on the bokken. "How scary." She drifted in a lazy circle around Iori. "But, sorry, even if you attack me, it's not going to do anything to help you get your friend back. I'm not the one in charge of things, you see. I'm just the… _help_ you could say."

"Then I'll just have to fight my way to the Digimon Kaiser, and take her back myself," Iori said, his voice hard. "I don't need your charity."

Witchmon let out a strange sounding laugh as she held the back of her hand near her mouth.

Iori's eyes narrowed. "What's so amusing?"

Witchmon smiled at Iori as her laughter died down. "'Amusing'? Aren't _you_ the little grown up." She hovered closer to Iori, startling him into backing up a space as he raised his bokken defensively. "Anyway, I was just laughing because you're going to regret having so much _pride_ in a few minutes."

Iori bristled as he focused on Witchmon, aiming the tip of his bokken at her. "It has nothing to do with pride. I will protect Miyako, and I don't need the assistance of villains to do it."

Witchmon leaned back a bit, though her amusement never waned. "Oh, you're mistaken, Dearie. Miyako isn't even _remotely_ in danger right now. It's _you_ and everyone else in your group who're in a lot of trouble."

"You'll forgive that I won't put much stock in your assurances," Iori said, as his bokken tip remained focused on the witch Digimon.

Witchmon sighed as her ghostly cat batted its paws at the bokken, never quite touching it. "I can see you're a stubborn one, so I guess I'll just finish saying my piece and get out of your hair. Should you finally decide that discretion is the better part of valor, just whip out that Digivice of yours, shout 'Digital Gate open,' and will yourself to go back home. It'll handle the rest."

"I won't leave without Miyako," Iori said, ignoring the ghost cat in favor of the Digimon in red. "I swear to that."

Witchmon let out a thoughtful hum. "Well, all right. I suppose nothing I say is going to make you change your mind. Just keep in mind that Miyako will probably want you to run away rather than get hurt, okay?"

"I know Miyako better than you do," Iori said, his gaze never wavering as his eyes bore holes into Witchmon "Do not think you can lecture me on her wants and desires as if you had insight I do not. If anything, she is eager for me to rescue her so that she might kick that boy in the face."

Witchmon blinked before she laughed again. "You're such a funny guy." The humor bled out of her smile, leaving her looking tired and sad. "It's such a shame that if you keep stubbornly sticking your neck out into this war, it's going to ruin you."

Iori frowned and opened his mouth to speak when Witchmon's cloak suddenly flew between them as her cat let out a yowl. He jerked back, raising his bokken in a defensive stance, expecting an attack. However, when the cloak disappeared from sight, there was no sign of the Digimon but the faint echo of her ghostly cat.

* * *

><p>"This makes no sense," Tailmon said as she scanned the area around them through narrowed eyes. "Even the Numemon are gone now." She kept her keen eyes scouring for any sign of hostile Digimon lurking in the dark as she led the group through the sewer. Ever since FlaWizarmon had stopped to chat with them, no controlled Digimon had attacked them. The Numemon who had been flinging feces at them so freely had vanished without a trace as suddenly and mysteriously as they first appeared. "Something's about to happen, I can feel it in my fur."<p>

Hikari nodded, but gave no reply, only barely paying attention to her partner and the others. Her focus had turned inward as she considered everything that had happened so far during their mission, as well as in their previous adventure years ago in the Digital World. Her mind kept drifting back to the group of Numemon WarMonzaemon had enslaved, and the role she played in freeing them.

"I'm more worried about finding the way into Factory Town," Koshiro said with a growing sense of unease. "With all the running around we did in the dark earlier, it's going to be really difficult to regain our bearings. We could be walking around in circles for all we know. I could try using my laptop to orient ourselves and getting a map, but I'm afraid the Digimon Kaiser might mess with that like he did the lights."

Daisuke flashed the older Chosen Child a grin. "Don't worry about it. I know the secret to solving mazes. You just keep your hand on the left or right wall and stick with that wall the entire time until you get to the other end." He placed his hand against the wall for emphasis, overlooking the wet smack of his glove striking something goopy on the tiles. "Sure, it'll take longer, but you'll get there eventually."

Koshiro let out a quiet note of laughter tinged with awkwardness. "Sometimes, sure, but it doesn't work if the wall you're using is an interior one that basically loops back around in on itself."

Daisuke paused then frowned. "Well, uh, we could mark where we've been to show if we're going in circles. And I remember there was this one Greek myth that had the guy using string to figure out which way to go."

Koshiro sighed softly. "Unfortunately, we don't have string, and the walls are so slimy I don't think my pen or anything else we brought could write on them."

Daisuke pulled his hand away from the wall and wiped at whatever substance glistened on them. "Yeah… Good point."

Tailmon paused before suddenly lashing out at the wall with a grunt. Her claws slashed into the brick, creating three deep gouges in the tile. The loud noise caused everyone else in the group to jerk in surprise and turn their attention towards her. She regarded her handiwork with a satisfied nod before she looked over her shoulder to Koshiro and Daisuke. "There. Marked."

Both boys stared at the feline Digimon, then at the claw marks, before looking at Tailmon again.

"Th… that works too," Koshiro said.

"I-I can do that too!" V-mon said as he raised a clenched fist in the air. "I'll punch that wall good!"

"Nah, it's fine, V-mon," Daisuke said as he flashed V-mon a grin. "You've got the most important job anyway. If anything happens to that light, we're going to be in a _lot_ of trouble, you know."

V-mon stopped and gripped the flashlight tightly. "N-nothing'll happen to the light! I'll protect it, Daisuke!"

Daisuke flashed V-mon a thumbs up. "I know you will, Buddy!"

Tailmon glanced towards Hikari, noting that the Chosen of Light had been extremely quiet since FlaWizarmon's visit. "Hikari?"

Hikari snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her partner's voice and looked over at Tailmon. "Yes?"

"What's wrong?" Tailmon asked, her ears canting back. Her expression made it clear that she was not interested in hearing any denials.

Though Hikari hesitated to trouble her partner and friends with the thoughts weighing on her mind, she knew that remaining silent was not an option. "I was thinking about what FlaWizarmon said, and…" She trailed off, pausing to think of how to properly put her thoughts into words.

Daisuke frowned. "You're not thinking he's right, are you? It's the classic Villainous Mind Screw 101 – get the heroes to start thinking that the bad guys aren't really bad after all, so they'll change their minds about stopping the bad guys from taking over, only for the bad guys to turn right around and betray them and snag 'em in a trap!" He made a wide gesture before slapping his hands together.

Hikari shook her head. "It's not that. What FlaWizarmon said did bother me, but it also got me thinking about what we've been through before, the last time we were in the Digital World I mean, and…" A frown appeared before she shook her head. "Never mind, it's probably not important."

"Your thoughts are _always_ important, Hikari-chan," Daisuke said with an undercurrent of affection in his voice. "Besides, you've probably noticed some really important clue that's gonna help us out big time, but just don't know it until you tell us about it too. That happens a lot to heroes."

Hikari shifted uncomfortably as she traced her fingers along some of the fine patterns stitched into her skirt. "Well… it's just… Between what FlaWizarmon said and the Numemon… It made me remember that last time we were here. Back then, I kept hearing Tenraimon's voice… She would talk to me sometimes, and tell me important things about the Digital World that helped us out so much. It was thanks to her that we were able to free the Numemon from War Monzaemon too."

Koshiro furrowed his brow as he thought back to the August of 1999, and a moment later he recalled what Hikari meant. "Oh, you mean like when she possessed you and showed us how we became Chosen Children, right?"

"What about now?" Tailmon asked. "Has she said anything to you?"

Hikari shook her head slowly as her eyes drifted down towards the ground. "I haven't heard her voice since we've returned… not even once. The last time was when Gennai took our energy…" She closed her eyes. "It's been so long… Maybe I can't hear her anymore since I'm older now?" She failed to hide the note of sadness that clung to her words.

Daisuke scratched the back of his head. "Uh… Wait, you mean you heard a voice like I did with V-mon? But you're not talking about Tailmon? Did you get two partners or something, Hikari-chan?"

Hikari shook her head. "Tenraimon is one of the gods of the Digital World, though we didn't learn about that until after our adventure was over." She stared off into the distance. "Back then, while Ryo was explaining to us that Tenraimon and Narakumon were gods of the Digital World, I distinctly remember her telling me that they didn't really know what they were exactly, but the Digimon who know of them think of them as gods." Her expression turned somewhat sheepish. "Actually, I think I forgot to mention it to anyone until now. After I donated my energy to Gennai…" Her words trailed off on an awkward note. "I guess… my memories are pretty hazy around that point. I don't even remember touching that crystal ball he was holding, and I barely remember coming home."

Koshiro let out a quiet hum, his brow furrowing. "We haven't seen Gennai since then either." He paused as a terrible thought struck him. "You don't think… the Digimon Kaiser has done something to them too?"

A shiver ran up Hikari's spine. "I hope not."

"I wouldn't put it past Tiny Tower," Daisuke said with a grunt. "I'd bet he'd want to enslave gods too if he could, or become one himself!"

Tailmon's ears canted back flat against her head. "It seems too coincidental. There _has_ to be a connection."

Koshiro let out a frustrated breath. "Unfortunately, I don't see how we're going to figure out what happened right now. We can try asking Centarumon or Jijimon if they know anything after we finish here."

Hikari nodded, though she could not shake the troubled feelings that churned her stomach unpleasantly. "Right."

"For now, we need to keep going," Tailmon said as she faced ahead of them. "Miyako must be in the control room–" She stopped speaking instantly, her ears perking upward, as she froze in place.

"Daisuke, did you hear that?" V-mon asked, eyes wide. He aimed the light up at his Chosen's face, who cried out and covered his eyes. Realizing what he did, V-mon quickly redirected the blinding light to his partner's feet instead. "That… that sound. That squishing, slurping sound."

Daisuke blinked repeatedly, spots dancing in his eyes. "Huh?" He looked at the bottoms of his shoes. "Did I step in something?"

Hikari noticed the tense expression on Tailmon's face and felt her nervousness grow. She shushed Daisuke – who kept trying to examine the floor or his shoes for any trace of poop leftover from the Numemon – and focused on listening for whatever it was that the Digimon heard.

The group waited in tense anticipation for whatever was making the strange noises that put the Chosen Digimon on edge. The sewage water gurgled through the canal as tiny drops fell from the ceiling to plop on the ground, but otherwise the sewer was silent to the ears of the Chosen Children. Minutes ticked by with ever mounting anxiety, making the group grow restless.

Daisuke's patience met its limit. "I don't hear any–"

_Splotch_.

The sudden sound of a wet, sloppy slap of some unknown glop hitting against brick silenced Daisuke, but only for a moment. "What was that?" The newest Chosen Child grimaced as a thought struck him. "Wait, oh crap, not more Numemon!"

Koshiro looked uneasily towards the Chosen Digimon, who appeared even more unnerved than he did. "Do you think it's them?" he whispered. There was no conviction in his voice, as the noise sounded did not sound quite like the clamor the Numemon made. Instead of shouts of attack names, was some sort of hissing sound like radio static that accompanied the wet noise

Daisuke pulled out his Digivice with a scowl. "If it is, I'm sick of running, and I'm sick of getting crap thrown at me. Come on, V-mon. Let's show them they can't throw poop at us and get away with it!"

Another slap followed, before a slurping, slippery noise followed. The slapping continued, slow and rhythmic like waves, only the water was especially thick. The hissing noise that came with it grew louder, along with the steady scraping of something heavy dragging across the ground.

Tailmon's ears canted back as her eyes darted about in the darkness ahead of them, the tension in her muscles growing by the moment when not even her night vision was good enough to make out the source. The sound was getting louder, so the truth of its identity would be clear soon enough. "Get ready."

Koshiro raised his own Digivice. "Tentomon?"

"I'm ready, Koshiro," Tentomon said as he crouched slightly.

"Daisuke, I'll protect you!" V-mon said as he held the flashlight tightly, aiming it about for any sight of their foe.

Hikari froze midway when pulling out her Digivice, her words to Tailmon dying on her lips, as a terrible sense of déjà vu seized her. She felt the wrongness in the air, a sensation that grew frighteningly familiar to her as of late. It invaded her dreams, turning even the most pleasant image gray with static, if her nightmares did not start there already. It would always start with that terrible feeling, her sixth sense crying out in alarm at the sense of wrongness all around her, creeping out of the darkness before she heard it. She wanted to deny what her instincts were telling her, but like her nightmares, it inevitably came – the sound of the ocean and countless people drowning, all whispering, laughing, screaming, crying, and shouting at once. Then, she would see it, the place of her nightmares.

"_What the hell is that?_!" Daisuke shouted, bringing Hikari back to reality.

Panic sent Hikari's heart pounding as she realized that this was no dream, no matter how terrible it was. A part of her tried to deny it, but the alarmed cries of her companions beside her kept her grounded even as a creature crawling in the darkness in front of them came out from her most horrible nightmares.

The thing before them was not a Digimon, that much was certain even with only the barest hints of light playing across its distorted body to let the Chosen make out its warped shape and the countless contorted mouths and limbs jutting out in all directions. Bits and pieces were familiar – half of a Monzaemon's face, a Snimon's broken blade arm, a sunken in Mushmon cap, a Bakemon's face minus its jaw replacing the knee of a DarkTyranomon's leg, and more – but the parts were placed together in complete disarray, creating an inharmonious whole that did not resemble anything they had ever seen before.

"No…" The word escaped Hikari in a whisper before she realized she had vocalized her thoughts. She turned to the others, seizing Koshiro and Daisuke by the arms. "We have to run! _Now!_"

"Hikari?" Tailmon whirled to face her Chosen Child, alarmed by the panic in Hikari's voice. "What are you–?"

_Tailmon… _

A chill ran up the cat Digimon's spine as a familiar voice came from within the screams and gurgles of the creature. Tailmon slowly turned around, her ears canted back. When her eyes focused on the creature, her pupils shrank to pinpoints. Among the mass of black flesh, a face manifested itself. It was a face that Tailmon hadn't seen in years, despite constant visits to the Village of Beginnings. It was a face that she never would have expected in such a place, least of all attached to a writhing mass of gore.

It was Wizarmon, or at least from the shoulders up. Half of his face was melting, his hat completely crushed against his head, with a barely formed twig of an arm grasping towards Tailmon. His eyes were dark pits that seemed to somehow give her the impression that he was staring through her, his warped expression twisted in pure agony. The way he moved gave her the impression that he was trying to pull himself free of the dark mass, but other limbs pulling at his hair kept him back.

_Tailmon…_

"W-Wizarmon?" Tailmon muttered, her voice soft. The voice seemed to resonate in her head rather than come from the creature's mouth, which probably could not generate sound with how it kept disintegrating even as it reformed moments later.

_Tailmon… You left me to die._

Tailmon went rigid as her tail bushed up, the accusation striking at her deeply in a way that she was not prepared for – that she knew she could never be ready to hear. Her voice lodged itself in her throat, leaving her unable to do more than move her mouth in soundless protest as her head slowly moved back and forth.

_I tried to help you, and you left me to die._

Tailmon trembled, her vision blurring as hot tears filled her eyes. Her foot hung in the air, torn between her instincts that ordered her to run closer or away to the warped visage of her oldest and dearest friend.

"_Tailmon!_"

Tailmon only vaguely registered Hikari's voice, even though the Chosen of Light had shouted her name close to her ear. A pair of arms scooped her up as she came back to herself, and realized that Hikari was carrying her.

"Run!" Hikari shrieked as she darted back from the abomination as its countless arms reached for her, some coming dangerously close to snatching the hem of her skirt. She ran past the others, only to stop when she realize that the boys were frozen like Tailmon had been. She freed her hand to yank hard Daisuke then Koshiro's arms. "Grab V-mon and Tentomon and run! We can't fight it! _Run!_"

Daisuke stumbled for a few steps, yelping as he was pulled, then his head to clear it. He glanced back at Hikari, but his eyes did not stray from the creature for long. "What… what the heck is…?"

"Just run!" Hikari shouted, her voice cracking with fear. "Don't let it get near you!"

Daisuke and Koshiro needed no further prompting. They quickly scooped up their partners in their arms before following the Chosen of Light through the dark sewer with only V-mon's flashlight to lead the way.

Koshiro alternated his gaze between where they were going and the darkness behind them as it swallowed up the creature from view. "H-Hikari? Do you… do you know what that… _thing_ is?"

Hikari shuddered at the question. "No… but I know we can't let it touch us, no matter what!"

Tailmon trembled in Hikari's grip, instinctively clinging to her partner. While part of her wanted to squirm and get free, the chill in her body made her feel as if she had been paralyzed. "Wizarmon… why…?"

"That's not Wizarmon!" Hikari shouted, though her voice wavered at a higher pitch than normal due to fear.

A different voice burbled out from the creature above all the others, one that sounded like an unharmonious mixture of male and female.

_Koshiro… Why did you replace us?_

The Chosen of Knowledge looked back over his shoulder and caught a pair of faces rising up from the creature, as though two people were emerging from it but only from the torso up. In the wobbling light of V-mon's flashlight, which kept switching between the monster and the path before them, it took Koshiro a few moments to recognize that it was a man and a woman. Something about the shape of their faces itched at the back of his mind, but he could not place it. "What…?"

"Don't look back!" Hikari yelled near Koshiro's ear, who jerked away slightly with a yelp. "Don't listen to it! It's trying to make you come to it!"

"But that–"

Hikari talked loudly over Koshiro's protest. "Whatever you think it might be, it's not! It's _not_!"

"I got it, Hikari-chan," Daisuke said, flashing his companions a grim but confident, if shaky smile smile. "It's just some evil shape shifting monster trying to eat us and lure us in by pretending to be people we recognize. If we ignore it, we'll be fine!"

"That monster won't trick Daisuke!" V-mon proclaimed proudly, regaining his confidence despite how the sight of the creature shook him almost as much as the rest of the Chosen.

Tailmon swallowed hard, as she tried to focus on Hikari's voice. Despite what her Chosen Child said, Wizarmon's words echoed in her head like poison, making her feel numb. "It wasn't…?"

Hikari's expression was tight as she pulled her partner closer, heat stinging her eyes. Seeing Wizarmon's agonized face had affected her as well. "It wasn't! It most definitely was _not_ him!"

"Koshiro, be careful," Tentomon said as he kept looking down towards the ground. "We can outrun it, so watch where you step."

Koshiro nodded, feeling a bit shaky for a reason he could not quite identify. There was something about the monster's words, the shape it formed, and its voices that bothered him on a deeper level. He wanted to know what it was trying to tell him, but at the same time, he could see that was exactly what the monster intended. "Y-yeah. Right."

Hikari swallowed hard on the knot of fear that lodged itself in her throat, and pushed herself and her companions onward as fast as they could go. She had no idea where she was leading them, but it did not matter. Anywhere was better as long as wherever they went was somewhere far, far away from the creature that crawled out of her worst nightmares and into reality.

* * *

><p>Takeru leaned against a wall, his breathing ragged as his heart rate slowly returned to normal. He started to regret going through excessive amounts of soccer practice prior to venturing into Factory Town, as well as the rather poor sleep he had gotten the night before. His stamina felt mostly depleted during a moment when he was all too aware how much he needed more of it. Thankfully, they had found an empty hallway with blank walls that seemed to be devoid of any machinery with designs to grab him and Patamon, allowing them a moment to catch his breath.<p>

When Takeru felt his breathing come a little more easily, he glanced in the direction of his partner. "A-are you okay, Patamon?"

"Y-yeah," Patamon said between pants. He lay limp atop Takeru's head, wings drooping, and his arms and legs sprawled out. "Is… is it just me… or were the arms going after me… at least _twice_ as much as you?"

"I noticed," Takeru muttered, his voice harsh. If the Digimon Kaiser was trying to make him angry, it was working.

Patamon exhaled deeply and rubbed his face with his paws, wiping away the sweat sticking to his fur. "At least we got away from them…" He looked around at the bare gray walls in front and behind them and the endless blackness that stretched out on either side outside of the precious little light Takeru's Digivice gave them. "But it doesn't feel like we're any closer to the others…"

"It feels like we're going in circles," Takeru said with a sigh. "We probably are, and we just can't see that because of the darkness."

Patamon examined their surroundings with a frustrated air. "Yeah… For all we know, the Digimon Kaiser locked us in a maze with no exits and is waiting for us to use the Digital Gate to escape." He was silent for a moment before he readjusted his position so that he could peer down at Takeru. "Maybe we should leave and try coming back in another way. There's got to be _some_ way of sneaking past his defenses."

Takeru focused his gaze at the floor, which was a metal grating with nothing but darkness underneath. "I considered that, but… that's what he wants us to do. I don't want to give that brat the satisfaction of winning, but I'm more worried that he's doing this because he can keep us from coming back here like before our Digivices changed. We'd basically be trusting him to return Miyako, and condemning all the Digimon."

Patamon sighed and pulled himself to his feet. "That's true." He focused intently on the wall across from them, his eyes narrowing. "In that case, maybe we should try to _make_ a way out."

Takeru looked up at his partner nodded. He doubted that Patamon could evolve normally – though they had not seen a Dark Tower yet, he had a feeling one was around – but he had his Digimental. "Yeah, I think we're past the point of worrying about keeping Factory Town undamaged."

Patamon nodded and raised his wings, ready to fly again, only to freeze with them held straight up in the air. "Wait!" he said sharply before lowering his voice to a whisper. "I hear something."

Takeru tensed up, his hand tightening around his Digivice. His eyes darted around as he strained to catch what his partner had noticed, but heard nothing but the soft hum of gears. "What is it?"

Patamon leaned forward until he nearly fell off Takeru's head. "It's coming from over there." He flew a little ways down the hall, just within the glow of the Digivice. "I think it's water. A lot of it!"

"Water…?" Takeru repeated before he felt a surge of concern. He had thought the Digimon Kaiser was all bluster, but the mention of water suggested something else entirely. "Is he trying to drown us!?"

Patamon moved in close to the wall, frowning. "It's coming from inside the wall. Maybe there are water pipes here?"

"Pipes…?" Takeru said slowly as he moved to his partner's side. He pressed his ear against the cold surface of the wall, straining to listen. After a second he heard it, the unmistakable sound of water, but it did not sound like the rush of liquid through the pipes when he turned on a faucet or a bath at home. It reminded him more of the ocean with great amounts of water sloshing back and forth hard against the shore. Either these 'pipes' were abnormally loud, or there was a lot of water behind the wall.

For a moment, Takeru thought he heard something else as well, something terrible that made his insides crawl – voices distorted by water, as though countless people were drowning all at once.

"Takeru!" Patamon shouted, alarmed. "Look up at that vent!"

Takeru blinked, startled out of his disturbing thoughts, and quickly scoured the ceiling. He spotted a vent just a short distance on the ceiling, mounted just above his head. The vent looked just large vent big enough for him to crawl through if it was not already filled to the brim with something else. Through the slits, he saw something dark that shone wetly in the light as it undulated out of the vent, some sort of gelatinous substance that bulged thickly like mucus before it dribbled down, hitting his shoulder with a slimy plop.

A terrible unseen force slammed into Takeru, racking his body with an intense cold and a strange noise that permeated his ears and scratched at his brain, drowning out the sound of Patamon screaming his name. There were other voices too, each one competing with his partner's to drown Patamon out. They were screaming, laughing, cursing, sobbing, whispering, and everything in between. They babbled nonsense and frighteningly familiar things in and out of static, as though filtered through a weak radio signal and the sounds of the sea crashing to the shore. The light from his Digivice disappeared, plunging him into an empty blackness that consumed everything.

Takeru had no idea how long he was lost in darkness. His mind was consumed with sound and a terrible oppressive weight on his heart that left him with no room for thought, let alone the concept of time.

The first thing Takeru registered as his senses slowly returned to him was the sensation that he had been drained of his fear and any other emotion, leaving him with strange sense of ennui. It took him a while to gather up the energy to even notice how everything that had changed around him and that Patamon was gone.

The color was completely gone from the world Takeru stood in now. Above him were dark clouds that choked out the sun or sky, and in front of him was a massive body of water so gray that it was nearly black. The ocean stretched out endlessly in front of him, dirty off-white foam crashed into slate colored sand. He stood at the edge of the beach where sand transitioned to dirt and sickly looking patches of scraggly grass that crunched dry and brittle beneath his feet. It was almost as though he was viewing the world through a black and white filter, which made it disorienting to see that his body still had color while the rest of the world was made up of countless shades of gray. He looked himself over, particularly the section of his shirt where that black goo touched him, but nothing seemed amiss, save for the fact that he was no longer in Factory Town with Patamon.

Initially, Takeru took in more details of this strange place, such as a lighthouse that cast a beam of blackness in a steady rotation, without any sense of rush or panic. Off in the distance there were some shacks, perhaps even a village. There were banners that flapped in a breeze he did not feel against his skin, as though beckoning him closer, or perhaps warning him to stay away.

As seconds ticked by, that strange disconnect between Takeru and his emotions slowly began to wane, and a terrible oppressive sadness and helplessness that was not his own came creeping in its place.

"This place… where am I…?" Takeru muttered, his voice quiet. Even speaking took a lot of effort, too much effort. It felt pointless to speak, as pointless as everything else he could have been doing right now. His entire body felt heavy, weighed down by the sheer sense of uselessness.

That was exactly what Takeru was – useless. The last to evolve, the first to get in trouble – that was the Chosen of Hope. He had taken so long to get Patamon to become Angemon, and for what? For Angemon to die in his first battle. He had trained hard since then, doing his best to not be a drain on the other Chosen or on Patamon.

Yet, for all his efforts, Takeru had allowed Patamon to be captured by the Digimon Kaiser and brainwashed. It was not a matter of chance or bad timing – he had made a stupid mistake and left his partner alone in a dangerous world. Patamon could have died and he never would have known. If that simple fact was not a testament to how completely pointless he was, then he doubted anything ever would be.

Takeru wobbled on his feet as the strength of his legs began to ebb. The hopelessness that turned his heart to lead almost felt like a physical weight, forcing him to sit down on the beach before he collapsed. His eyes strayed down to where his hand touched the surprisingly cold sand and saw that his fingernails had turned dark. He noticed that it was not limited to his nails – the color was slowly bleeding away from his fingertips, like watercolor paint soaking into a canvas, leading only gray behind.

A small voice in Takeru's head screamed that there was something alarming about what was happening, but he could not muster the energy to heed its warning. What was the point? How was he supposed to stop something that he did not understand? He did not even know where he was or what had happened to him. Losing the color from his fingers and watching them drain from his palm seemed inevitable. All he could do was just watch it happen. "Huh…"

A sound caught Takeru's attention, just barely reaching over the din of the waves crashing against the shore. It took him nearly half a minute to realize that the noise was someone crying.

Takeru cocked his head in the direction of the crying. Ever since he had appeared in this place, the ocean had whispered to him, but he had scarcely noticed it until he heard the crying. The creature inside the vent had made similar sounds as the dark sea before him, and somehow the babble of countless seemed expected in this place, though he could not understand why he felt that way.

This new voice, however, was different. Somehow, the crying was louder than the other voices, as if it were dominating them simply by existing.

It was strange enough to pique his curiosity, and made Takeru feel a sense of concern that rose up above the hopelessness. Despite the pointlessness of everything, the voice urged him to rise to his feet and follow the sound to its source. His body moved almost of its own accord in some last desperate act to escape the ennui crushing him as the color bled away from his body, the gray reaching his elbow by this point. Each step felt a little harder than the last, as though the air had turned to water and was trying to stop him from moving forward. In spite of all this, the crying continued to lead him on.

The crying led Takeru a small ways past the lighthouse where a formation of rocks sat overlooking the shore. On top of one of the larger boulders was a girl curled up in a ball, her lithe form shuddering with sobs. She was dressed all in black as though mourning, her long black hair acting as a veil to completely hide her face from him as she cried into her arms atop her tightly folded knees. As the Chosen of Hope drew closer, he realized that the outfit the girl wore was familiar – a skirt covered with ornately patterned lace, knee-high boots, and tights – and he recognized it as the clothes the Digital World dressed Hikari in every time they arrived, only it was entirely black instead of white.

For a moment, Takeru had the crazy notion that this girl _was_ Hikari, somehow affected by this world of darkness like it was changing him to gray – which had now reached his shoulder – but he shook off the notion. This girl's hair was much longer, her bangs pinned back not by a flower hair clip, but one shaped like the moon accented with glittering gemstones, and he realized that her skin was not devoid of color, just incredibly pale, as though she never stepped out into the sun before.

It took a moment for Takeru to gather the energy to speak, as curiosity had to battle against the lethargy inside him. Finally, after several endlessly long seconds, he managed to form some words. "Who are you?"

The girl jerked, a sob choking in her throat, and an instant later she was staring at Takeru with wide red eyes overflowing with tears. He did not recognize her, but had no opportunity to ask who she was before she suddenly sprang off the rock and charged at him. Her expression changed from sorrow to surprise and then to vivid rage in the span of a few seconds, taking Chosen of Hope aback. He barely had a moment to wonder what was wrong before her palm impacted against his cheek with a loud smack, sending a shock of pain through him that cut through the haze clouding his mind as his vision went dark.

Takeru was still disoriented when he heard Patamon call out his name. He blinked repeatedly, his hand touching his cheek, as he focused on his surroundings. He was back in the darkened hallway with his partner, who looked on the verge of panic.

"You're back!" Patamon shouted as he lunged to practically tackle Takeru in a hug.

"I-I…," Takeru muttered, his ears ringing and his eyes still not quite in focus. He felt like he had been dreaming, except his whole body ached, not just his cheek. "I-I'm what?"

"You disappeared!" Patamon yelled, distressed. "You started going all fuzzy and I pulled you back from that weird black stuff, but then you disappeared right out of my hands!"

"W-wait, wait, what?" Takeru muttered, even as he moved to hold his partner close. Nothing was making sense, and he felt like he was missing half the story. "Black stuff? Disappeared? What are you–"

It was then that Takeru heard the screaming. The sound made his entire body stiffen and sent his heart racing. Whatever had dulled his emotions before was gone now, and he whirled around towards the source as panic flooded his veins. He reached for his Digivice, only to find it missing, and quickly spotted it on the floor, providing the only source of illumination that showed him and Patamon something taking up the space where he had stood only minutes ago. Fear nearly tore a scream from his throat, but he held it back, his eyes open to their fullest, as he instinctively took several steps back.

The thing that oozed from the vents was mostly on the floor now, but its already unnatural anatomy was distorted in ways that made it difficult for Takeru or Patamon to understand what they were looking at. It was a slimy mass of contorted limbs and distorted faces that continually formed like a creature trying to pull its way free from a mound of black gel, only to dissolve back into the blob.

However, it was the screaming that got to the Chosen the most. Countless voices howled in anguish, shouted insults with infinite hatred, sobbed out pleas, or belted out laughter tainted with insanity. They were an unharmonious union that was painful to hear. Yet, stranger still was that the voices could never drown out the constant background noise of static or waves crashing into the sea.

The light from Takeru's Digivice flickered, as though dying. It created a strobe light effect that made the creature even more disturbing, as he could only vaguely see it shudder and spasm as pieces split off from the main mass then divided further still. It seemed as though the monstrosity was tearing itself apart.

Takeru could only stare, his body paralyzed with fear, as he tried to comprehend what that creature was and what was happening. In the flickering light, he noticed that shapeless waves of black overlapping the glistening surface of the monster. It was easy to miss in the dark, but next to the shapeless black, the creature seemed gray. These black waves were dividing the abomination into smaller pieces and swallowing them up. The blackness reminded him of the tendrils of an octopus or squid attacking its prey and consuming it.

A shudder ran through Takeru's body when he noticed the many faces of the creature were facing him. It – they – were shouting for _him_ to help or cursing his name. He had little more than glimpses of grasping hands and screaming mouths until he saw one face in particular that shook him to his very core.

It was Angemon. A dark Angemon was trapped within the monster, with only one arm to reach for Takeru, until the blackness tore it from him, twisting his mouth into a scream.

_Takeru… help me! Don't let me die again!_

Takeru choked on a scream as pain lanced through his chest. "Angemon!" He stepped forward to save his partner, only to freeze when he realized that he was still holding Patamon in his arms, his grip so tight that it must have been painful for his partner. Shakily, he slowly forced his gaze away from Angemon and looked down at the Digimon in his arms. "Pata…mon…?"

Patamon gawked at the screaming Angemon, his jaw hanging open. "What the… But that's… _me_?" When he noticed the tremor that ran through Takeru's body, he looked up at his partner to see the haunted expression on the Chosen of Hope's face. "Don't listen to it, Takeru! That thing must be pretending to be me to try and trick you so it can take you away again like it did before!"

"I… what is that thing?" Takeru said in a wavering voice. He could feel his heart pound hard in his chest, the sound a thundering echo in his ears. "Why is it… you!?"

"I don't know," Patamon said, his tone fierce as his body tensed, readying for battle if the abomination got too close. His eyes narrowed as it groped at the air with a disjointed and melting arm towards Takeru. "But I won't let it touch you again! I won't let it hurt you!"

Takeru could not respond. Words refused to come as he watched the image of Angemon writhe and disintegrate before him. Seeing his real partner break apart into facets of light when he was a child had been traumatic enough, but this was far worse. The false Angemon contorted in unnatural, agonized positions, its features warping into something uncanny, and all the while it screamed and begged for his help. He tightened his grip on Patamon as his body trembled from his efforts to not give in to the irrational part of him that practically screamed at him to save his partner, even if he knew the thing before him was a fake. He knew it without question, even without the reassuring weight and warmth of Patamon in his arms. The way this imposter spoke was completely wrong. When Angemon died, he did not cry, beg, or scream – he comforted Takeru instead, just as Patamon was trying to reassure him now.

It took less than a minute for the creature to be swallowed up by the darkness. However, to Takeru, it felt as though he had watched it with his back pressed hard against the wall for hours. It was only when the monster went silent and there was nothing left of it but a shapeless mass of black that absorbed all light that he noticed a red light bulb on the ceiling. He was certain it had not been there when he had returned from that other world. It made him feel uneasy, as the light it cast painted everything in shades of crimson, reminding him unnervingly of blood.

Although the creature no longer pretended to be Angemon or had arms or faces or a voice left, Takeru still felt wary of the darkness in front of him. It was above his Digivice, still sputtering out irregular bursts of light on the floor, touching it. Such a realization flooded him with panic, enough to almost override his shock, horror, and numbness from the past few minutes. He wanted to snatch his Digivice away, but he did not dare get too close to the darkness before him.

Takeru opened his mouth to speak then closed it again with a click of teeth when he realized the darkness was shrinking. Whatever it was in front of them was moving down towards the floor – no, it was slipping into the screen of his Digivice!

Takeru stared down at his Digivice, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing as horror grew. The darkness that had silenced the monster that killed Angemon was seeping into his Digivice.

A terrible thought suddenly occurred to Takeru, hitting him as hard as the mysterious girl had slapped him. What if the darkness _came_ from his Digivice?

Whether or not it was true, one thing Takeru knew for certain was that the darkness retreated into his Digivice and disappeared without a trace, allowing its light to shine freely once more.

The silence that followed felt almost deafening. Long seconds ticked by like minutes with only the sound of the two of them breathing to fill it before Patamon finally spoke up in a hushed voice. "Why did _darkness_ come from the Digivice?"

Takeru felt his insides twist as Patamon confirmed his fear. "I-I… don't know," he said, barely managing to raise his shaky voice above a whisper. He did not want to accept what he had seen. He did not want to acknowledge that something as sinister as pure darkness had come from his Digivice. His mind reeled with terrible questions that he was not sure he wanted answered.

A distorted chime came from Takeru's pocket, the sound piercing him with a strong sense of dread. He recognized it in an instant, and its timing filled him with panic that was nearly strong enough to make him want to pretend he had not heard anything. Yet, in spite of this, he reluctantly shifted Patamon into a one-handed grip so that he could pull out his D-Terminal, surprised that it nearly fumbled out of his trembling grip before he managed to open the device.

Just like before, the email was already open, with no information to identify the sender. Words were scrawled on the screen, not simply rough like last time, but the edges were harsh and sloppier than before, as though the writer was angry or rushed. However, it was not the appearance of the email as the message that made Takeru's breath catch in his throat.

_Do NOT answer the Dark Ocean's call!_

Takeru stared at the message as what he could only describe as "cracks" formed along the edges of the characters written on the screen, slowly spreading across the message box. The D-Terminal's screen sputtered and flickered in and out, with bursts of static. Strange characters and oddly shaped pixels appeared in random places until there was nothing but illegible nonsense. Finally, the D-Terminal crashed, and the screen turned completely dark.


	18. Chapter 17

Miyako had never been so livid in her entire life. The mocking words of the Digimon Kaiser replayed themselves in her mind, taunting her, as she was forced to watch the dozens of monitors show disturbing sludge monster abominations ooze their way through Factory Town, hunting down the other Chosen. Being made into a damsel in distress when she should have been a hero was galling enough, but being tied to a chair paled in comparison to being forced to watch the others face something out of a survival horror game. If the Digimon Kaiser thought that she would do nothing but sit there and fret like some dumb ditz then he had no clue who he was messing with.

"Stupid cosplay-freak Kaiser," Miyako grumbled to herself as she worked at her bindings. If she had her pockets then she would have had access to the tools she brought along with her, many of which were nice and sharp. As it was, the best she could do was work at the bonds a little at a time, trying to stretch them out and shift them about bit by bit. She made a mental note to come up with more contingency plans if the Digimon Kaiser pulled something like this again.

Thankfully, her bindings were made of strange fabric rather than rope or wire. With enough methodical movement, they were slowly but surely loosening around her bound appendages. With the witch Digimon not around to re-secure them, the new Chosen was free to fidget and squirm until she was finally able to slip one of her feet out of its binding, allowing her room to kick the fabric off her other leg and liberate it as well. While having her feet free was not much help, they gave her more leverage to keep twisting at the fabric keeping her hands attached to the armrests of the chair.

Miyako placed her feet apart and pushed them against the floor as firmly as the heels allowed to give her added leverage. She gritted her teeth and began rocking her body hard left to right, making the chair jerk in the process. The fact that the chair was bolted to the floor was more help than a hindrance, as she was able to move without crashing to the floor. After several minutes, the fabric binding her hands could no longer withstand the onslaught and stretched just enough that Miyako could squeeze her hands free.

"About damn time!" Miyako practically snarled as she rubbed her arms to get the blood circulating in them properly. They were an angry shade of red where the bindings had held her, and the soreness suggested to her that they would turn into bruises by morning. She made a mental note to wear something with long sleeves for a while until she no longer looked like she was a kidnap victim or into some kinky hobbies.

Once the tingling eased from her fingertips, Miyako grabbed the edge of the fabric still wrapped around her chest, pulled it up to her mouth so that she could dig into it with her teeth, and tugged until she heard it tear. She spat out fibers with a grunt of disgust, then used the weakness she created in the cloth to tear it away from her body with surprisingly little trouble. "It's like canvas," she muttered to herself. "Stupidly strong until it gets one little cut." She shook her head before rising to her feet. "That jackass must really not think much of me if he thought I couldn't get out of something like that."

With one problem down, Miyako returned her attention to the massive computer console, scanning the monitors and controls with a critical eye. The set up was much more elaborate than a home computer, leaving much of the buttons and dials on the console a mystery to her, one that she had to solve quickly. It had not been that long since the Digimon Kaiser had left her alone, but that did not guarantee he would not be back at any minute to mock her again. "Clock is ticking, girl. Figure this out."

Unfortunately, Miyako had her work cut out for her. The computer itself spanned the wall, reminding the Chosen of the first computers ever invented, when they took up an entire room just to calculate numbers. She could only hope that the system was more advanced than such an archaic system. She reassured herself that it must be the case given what she saw of Guardromon's internal schematics. Despite the grimy and worn exterior of the consoles in front of her, she knew that she was dealing with highly advanced technology – the appearance was most likely entirely cosmetic.

It took quite a bit of trial and error, as well as a lot of frustration, but eventually Miyako figured out how to navigate the computer's obtusely designed system. "Little jerk just had to make this unnecessarily complex, didn't he?" She put the shot of Iori on the central monitor and crossed her fingers. "Hey, Iori? Can you hear me?"

On the screen, Iori stopped short, his head lifting to stare up at the ceiling. To him, it seemed as though Miyako's voice came from all around him. Unfortunately, he saw no sign of her. All he could see was the red light that had insisted on following him, despite his best efforts. "Miyako!_?_"

Miyako let out a relieved breath and smiled. "Excellent. Looks like I've got communications under my control. Don't bother worrying about me, Iori. Just stand by for further instructions while I try to get access to the layout of the factory, then I'll coordinate all of you to come together."

Iori frowned, not ready to feel relieved just yet despite his friend's cheerful tone. "Are you certain you are safe?"

Miyako paused to look around the room. There was no sign of the Digimon Kaiser or any of his minions, but that did not exactly reassure her. "As safe as any of us can get when the bad guy knows how to teleport anywhere he wants whenever he wants. Don't worry about me right now. That brat let loose some eldritch horrors on you and the others, so you've got to worry about yourself more right now."

Iori tensed as he glanced about suspiciously, tightening his grip on his bokken. The idea of 'eldritch horrors' disturbed him, particularly what it must have meant with regards to a species that could normally resemble dragons and dinosaurs. "At the moment, I am fine. I haven't run in to any resistance."

Miyako worked at the computer while she talked, using a secondary monitor to search through the system so that she could keep in contact with Iori. "Thank goodness for small favors, but don't expect it to stay that way for too long."

"I don't need favors, small or otherwise," Iori muttered, more to himself than Miyako. He then straightened up. "Can you contact the others?"

"Looks like it," Miyako said, "but it looks like it'll be just one group at a time until I figure out how to conference this call, and that's a lower priority to getting the map."

"I agree," Iori said as he glanced around. "For the moment, I believe it's safe for you to contact the others." He paused for a moment before a small smile tugged at his lips. "If that changes, I will let you know."

Miyako glanced up at the screen displaying Iori. "Don't worry, I'll be keeping an eye on you."

Miyako looked over the other monitors to decide who to contact next when she did a double take at seeing Takeru. The Chosen of Hope was standing completely still, with a worried Patamon hovering nearby. She frowned before switching the two of them to the main monitor. "Yo, Takaishi! Wake up! This isn't a good time to start spacing out right now."

Takeru did not respond at first, which made Miyako wonder if he had even heard her. She was about to speak again, when the Chosen of Hope slowly lifted his head and stared up at the ceiling. "Miyako?"

"Glad to see that you're still with us, Takaishi," Miyako said dryly. "You okay?"

Takeru lowered his gaze down to the ground, his eyes distant, as though he was focusing on something that neither Miyako nor Patamon could see. It was nearly a minute before he spoke again. "Yes."

Miyako's expression deadpanned. "'No' you say? _Really._ I'd never have guessed." She shifted her attention to the Digimon hovering beside Takeru. "Patamon, please make sure he stays put. I'll send everyone to your position as soon as I get access to the layout and figure out where you all are."

Patamon nodded, his worried gaze never leaving Takeru. "Right."

"I'm fine," Takeru said. He lifted his head to offer a smile to the ceiling that he thought was reassuring, but the expression looked weak and sickly instead. "My shoulder's just a little sore."

Miyako frowned and tried to change the monitor's position to get a closer look at Takeru, but it seemed to be fixed at a certain distance from each of the groups of Chosen. She muttered a curse before returning her focus to finding the layout of Factory Town. "Don't do any fighting unless you've got no choice. I saw that darkness come out of your Digivice after you glitched out for a while. Something happened to you because of that goop, and it might mess with Patamon evolving." She paused for a moment then shrugged despite the fact that the boys could not see her gesture. "Or I could just be paranoid, but with stuff like that crawling around, I'll take my chances with being ridiculously overcautious. Either way, sit tight, and hold on for back up. Got it?"

"I'll be fine," Patamon said. "Don't worry about me." He squinted his eyes in the dim red light to get a better look at Takeru's shoulder. "Something tore your shirt. I think it must've been from when it kept trying to grab you earlier."

Takeru glanced toward his shirt, noting the tattered cloth. It looked less torn and more dissolved, with the thick fabric becoming thinner the closer it was to the hole, as though it had been exposed to acid. Such a thought was alarming, but strangely enough, he did not feel any burning pain on his shoulder. He slipped his fingers into the hole to touch his skin. His shoulder ached, but it was a dull pain, like an old bruise, and there was no sign of anything wet coating his skin. He felt no cuts or injuries that he might expect from touching acid, just smooth skin. He knew that he would have to get a better look at himself once he was in proper lighting, but this minor examination was the most concern he could muster at the moment.

Takeru dropped his arms back to his sides as he returned his gaze to the floor where the creature had been prior to being destroyed by darkness. There was no sign of it, not even the sheen of a wet spot.

Eventually, Takeru turned his attention upward to where he imagined a camera might be aimed at him. He wanted to argue with Miyako, to insist that he was fine and could take care of himself, but the words simply would not come. Fatigue had seized him, leaving him limp and nearly as apathetic as he felt in that dark and dreary other world. Even the shock from seeing darkness come out of his Digivice had faded, replaced with lethargy. "All right… but if something happens, I'm going."

"Fair enough," Miyako said. "Patamon, make sure something _doesn't_ happen."

Patamon nodded, still clearly concerned about Takeru. "Right."

"Switching over to Tachikawa now," Miyako said as she eyed the monitor that showed Mimi and Palmon running through a dark hallway. She did not wait for a response from Takeru or Patamon before switching the view on the main monitor. "Tachikawa! Palmon! You can stop running now. There's no sludge monster near you."

Mimi jerked at the sudden sound of Miyako's voice, nearly stumbling, then awkwardly slowed her run to a walk. "M-Miyako?" She scanned the area frantically for any sign of the younger girl.

"Don't worry about me," Miyako said. "I've taken control of the security room. You two need to stop and take a breather so you're not wiped in case another eldritch horror comes creeping by."

Mimi let out a breathless moan as she slumped against the wall then slid to the floor, Palmon mirroring the action at her side. "I can't take it!" she wailed, in near tears, starting to tremble as her adrenaline waned. "That thing… that _thing_!"

"Awful, it's awful!" Palman said, tears forming in her eyes.

Miyako examined the monitor with a critical gaze. "Don't worry about it and take ten for now. I'll be keeping an eye on you from here, and I'll let you know if anything comes near you and what direction to go."

Mimi pulled Palmon close to her and looked around into the darkness, her nerves frayed. "M… Miyako, I can't contact the others. Are they…?"

"They're fine," Miyako said. "Yagami's team outran their creature, Takaishi managed to kill his, and Iori hasn't run into any yet."

Mimi went rigid. "There are _more_ of those things?"

Movement caught Miyako's eye and she watched as one of the dark creatures slowly crawled through some random hallway. She tried not to cringe as she watched how it ungulated along, telling herself not to be afraid no matter how unnatural they were. "One less than there were a few minutes ago."

Mimi squeezed Palmon closer to herself as a tremor ran through her body. "So we… we have to fight those things…?"

"I-it's okay, Mimi," Palmon said as she looked up at her partner, trying to sound braver than she felt. "I-I'll protect you, no matter what!"

Miyako readjusted her glasses as she considered how to respond. "Yagami seemed pretty against confronting them actually. According to her, just touching them seems to be bad news. If you've got to attack it, make sure it's long distance only, and try not to let any of them get on you."

Mimi furrowed her brow. "But didn't Takeru…?"

"He pulled off something weird with his Digivice that got rid of it," Miyako said. "Not sure how he did it, and I don't think he knows either. We'll probably be able to figure it out once we get the group together again."

Mimi nodded slowly, not quite satisfied with the answer.

Miyako frowned as she looked across the various monitors, growing anxious each time she spotted one of the disturbing creatures making its way through Factory Town. "Sorry, but I can only talk to one group at a time right now, so I'm going to go quiet for a few minutes, but I'll keep an eye on you two the entire time. Are you two going to be okay, or do you need me to talk to you for a little longer?"

Mimi hesitated for a moment, her knuckles turning white as she tightened her grip on her Digivice before she forced herself to nod. "Y-yeah. I think so."

"Glad to hear it," Miyako said. "I'll talk to you in a few." She felt a twinge of guilt for metaphorically leaving Mimi and Palmon alone in the dark, but she knew that it would be better for them in the long run to focus on getting everyone together quickly rather than offer an awkward comforting pep talk over a computer screen. She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts as she observed the group in the sewers, who were catching their breath. "Everybody doing okay down there?"

Tailmon's ears flicked before she glanced around sharply. She hesitated briefly before her brow furrowed. "Is that… Miyako?"

"Eeeeh?" V-mon gasped, his eyes wide as his grip tightened on the flashlight. "Inoue's voice is coming from the sky! She's not around at all!" He looked around nervously, shining the light in every direction he could. The disembodied voice reminded him eerily of a creepy horror movie he and Daisuke watched together late at night a few days ago. "Does that mean she's… a ghost?"

"She must be using the Kaiser's communications system," Tentomon said as he looked around for any sign of the two-dimensional monitor the Digimon Kaiser used to communicate with them earlier. "Or at least part of it."

Hikari turned her gaze in the general direction of the ceiling when it was apparent that Miyako could not project an image for them to see like the Digimon Kaiser did. "Miyako? Are you okay?"

"Don't worry about me," Miyako said. "I'm not the one out there being chased by blob monsters. How are you all holding up?"

Koshiro sighed deeply, still out of breath even though they had spent at least five minutes catching their breath after they had been certain that they escaped the monster chasing them. "We're o-okay… just a little shaken up."

Daisuke frowned. "Is Tiny Tower there?"

Miyako paused as she eyed Daisuke on the screen. For a moment, she considered ignoring him, but decided now was not the time to give in to pettiness. "Nope. He's gone off somewhere without thinking that I could free myself and hack his system, but he might be back at any time."

"How are the others doing?" Tailmon asked. "Can you see them?"

"Yeah," Miyako said. "Everyone is fine except for Takaishi. He kind of mentally checked out after one of those eldritch abominations touched him and made him disappear for a little while."

Hikari jerked ramrod straight as fear struck her with the ferocity of being thrown into a frozen lake. "_What?_!"

"He came back in less than a minute," Miyako said, brow furrowing. "It was really weird. It's like he glitched out then back in again." She noted the increasing panic in Hikari's expression. "I don't think he's injured, just shaken up. I can see him right now, and he's just standing there with Patamon. I'm going to send you all his way once I find that stupid map in this crappy set up that brat has here."

Tailmon's ears canted back. She instinctively glanced to Hikari, immediately remembering her partner's fervent warnings about touching the unholy creature that imitated people they knew. "We need to get to Takeru as soon as possible."

Hikari nodded as a small tremor ran through her body. The dim light of the sewer gave everyone an eerie look, but at that moment she appeared even more pale than usual, her expression haunted.

"Fina-frickin-ly!" Miyako shouted, her voice equal parts frustration and triumph. "I found the stupid map! Stand by for directions. I'm going to be switching back and forth to Iori, Mimi, and Palmon to get them moving at the same time."

Koshiro nodded, his body sagging with relief that they would no longer be bumbling around in the sewer any longer. It felt as though they had been wandering blindly down there for months. "Got it."

Daisuke directed a frown towards the ceiling. "Just make sure not to lead is straight into one of those monsters, Inoe."

Miyako made a show of rolling her eyes then stopped when she reminded herself that Daisuke could not see it. "Just listen to directions for once, Motomiya, and you'll be fine. Give me _some_ credit here."

Daisuke's response was a skeptical snort.

* * *

><p>Takeru was silent as he stood with his back against the wall, arms hanging at his sides, as his head bowed low enough for his bangs to fall into his eyes. He hated simply standing there, idle and waiting for something to happen while knowing that the others were in danger, but he could not muster the energy he needed to move forward. The whole experience with the monstrous abomination and the black and white world with the crying girl had rattled him down to his core. The heaviness he felt in that other world seemed to cling to him like a stain that he could not simply wipe away. The fact that his shoulder was aching did not particularly help, either.<p>

Patamon hovered around Takeru's head, holding his partner's Digivice in his paws to keep the area illuminated after the strange red light bulb disappeared as mysteriously as it came. He tried to keep an eye out for another one of those creatures, but his gaze kept straying back to Takeru. His insides churned with worry for his Chosen Child, but he hesitated to let Takeru know how he felt. Even if he suggested that they return to the real world, he knew that Takeru would never go along with it.

Takeru sighed as he closed his eyes. "So much for our great rescue attempt. We've spent this whole time running around blindly and getting nothing to show for it, except a bunch of bruises."

"Takeru…" Patamon said softly as he moved to hover in front of Takeru's face, though his partner was focused more on the floor than on him. "Try to cheer up. At least we know Miyako and Iori are Chosen Children too. Miyako freed herself, so we just have to get her egg back. And the others too!"

Takeru did not need to be inside Patamon's head to know what his partner was thinking. The Digimon's concern was palpable, and it was precisely what he did not need right now on top of everything else. "I'm fine, Patamon. Don't worry, I just need to catch my breath." He forced a chuckle that came devoid of humor as he rotated the shoulder that the monster touched, ignoring the pang of pain it gave him. "I guess I shouldn't have practiced with Daisuke before coming here."

Takeru's false laughter died on an awkward note when he saw that Patamon was not the slightest bit convinced, and he chastised himself for even bothering to lie to his partner. As if soccer practice had anything to do with the current situation. Who would have believed something as flimsy as that?

A glimpse of light to his side caught Takeru's eye and he turned his time to hear someone call his name. He blinked, but he was too slow to react. By the time he realized that someone was approaching, they had already reached him. The dimly lit sight of Hikari's worried expression pierced through his apathy to squeeze his heart.

"Takeru," Hikari said between pants as she stopped to catch her breath. She and the others had been prompted by Miyako to move quickly, so they practically ran all the way there. "Are… are you okay?"

Takeru was slow to respond at first before he straightened up quickly, as he did not want anyone to misunderstand his body language. He tried to smile as convincingly as he could, even if it was sluggish to form. "I'm fine. Are you all okay?"

"Yeah," Daisuke said breathlessly before flashing Takeru a tired grin. "Nothing we can't handle."

Hikari moved closer to Takeru, growing more troubled by the moment by his behavior. "Takeru… did it… did it _touch_ y–" The words caught in her throat along with her breath as she spotted the hole in his shirt at his shoulder. Fear flooded through her, making her voice high and sharp. "V-mon, I need the flashlight!"

V-mon yelped and nearly dropped the flashlight at Hikari's panicked tone before held it up to the Chosen of Light. "H-here…?"

Takeru jerked as Hikari's fearful voice pierced through his apathy like a splash of ice water. "Hikari, what's–?"

Hikari accepted the flashlight from V-mon with a faintly trembling grasp and focused the light on the hole in Takeru's shirt. What she saw made her cringe. There was a hole in Takeru's clothes at the shoulder, but it did not look as though something tore away the material. The opening was the size of her palm and roughly the same shape, with straight lines and angles that made it look as though someone had carefully cut out small squares from the fabric, while what remain turned from black to a dull gray.

More troubling was the state of his shoulder. In the dim and discolored light, Takeru had mistaken a dark patch on his skin for a bruise. However, thanks to the flashlight, he could now see that not only was his skin darker in that spot, but it was not purple or even black, but a strange shade of gray, as though someone had drained the color from that small area.

Hikari peeled open the hole a little wider to expose more of his shoulder. The lines cut into his shirt widened and small squares flaked off along the edges before the tiny pieces disappeared into data. It was a small relief to see that the patch of gray on his skin did not extend further than the hole in his shirt, but her expression was twisted into something close to pain. "Takeru…"

Koshiro craned his neck to catch a glimpse of Takeru for himself and jerked at what he saw. "What in the world?"

"Whoa!" Daisuke said as he caught sight of the gray patch. "What happened there?"

Patamon landed atop Hikari's head to get a better look at his partner before his eyes widened. "Takeru! Your shoulder!"

Takeru did not respond, instead focusing his attention entirely on the strange affliction. He slowly rotated his shoulder, noting that the area still felt somewhat numb. He honestly would have preferred a bruise to whatever had happened to him, as at least those he understood. It looked as if all the color had been drained from that part of his shoulder, and he could not even imagine what that meant. "It's fine. It looks worse than it actually is. I guess that thing touched me when it fell out of the air vent."

Tailmon narrowed her eyes as she examined the mark on Takeru, an unpleasant feeling bristling through her fur. "That thing touched you… and did that?"

Takeru rubbed his shoulder tentatively, partially to erase the strange ache it gave him and partially to hide it from the gazes of the others. "It kind of reminds me of something, but I can't put my finger on it," he muttered. The expressions the other Chosen wore twisted his insides, and he gave them what he hoped was a reassuring smile, though it did not quite reach his eyes. "But I'm fine, really."

Hikari could feel no comfort in Takeru's smile or words. She could not stop staring at the patch of gray staining his skin peeking out between his fingers. A chill that had nothing to do with temperature ran through her body, making her tremble faintly. She felt the need to say something, but the right words to sum up how she felt eluded her. She could not think of anything she could say that would properly convey her feelings, especially since she did not understand them entirely herself. All she knew for sure were three little words, "This is bad."

Koshiro looked to Hikari, brow furrowing. "Do you know something about what that thing is and what it did to Takeru, Hikari?"

"I don't," Hikari said softly. "Not really." She ran a hand along her face, trying to work away the coldness lingering underneath her skin. "It's just…" She fumbled for a few seconds, before forcing herself to speak. "In my nightmares… I saw… _things_… that were similar to it – that monster that went after us and touched Takeru I mean – and… when a Digimon touched them… wh-when… when _I_ touched them…" Her voice trailed off in a high, cracked tone, as the words would no longer come. She brought her arms closer to her body as the trembling grew worse, as though reliving those nightmares and the fear that always came with them were leaching away the warmth from her body. Unfortunately, no matter how much she rubbed her arms, there was no alleviating the sensation.

Daisuke stepped closer to Hikari, his brow furrowing. "Hey, are you okay, Hikari-chan?"

Takeru grimaced, feeling a stab of guilt as he saw how badly Hikari was affected by _his_ injury. "I'm fine," he said firmly as he approached Hikari. "I'm a little tired, but that's about it. Nothing is–"

"I know what it reminds me of," Tailmon said, cutting off Takeru's platitudes. "The flowers."

Takeru stopped at that before looking over at Tailmon, who was staring at him so hard, it almost felt as though her eyes could pierce right through him. "What?"

"The flowers," Tailmon said, "and the ground around them." Her ears canted back against her head. "After the Dark Towers melted. When that black… liquid touched them, they were drained of all color… and then deleted."

V-mon let out a cry that was almost a shriek. "_Deleted_!_?_" He whirled about to gape at Takeru. "Y-you're being deleted!_?_"

The question was met with silence, as fear and doubt crept up on Takeru. He had to admit that it made sense, even if a part of him refused to believe it. Such a theory neatly explained what had happened to his shirt, as 'deleted' perfectly described the tattered cloth. "You're… probably right that it's similar. But my shoulder hasn't been 'deleted', and it doesn't feel like it's going to be. It doesn't hurt a…"

The words faded away to nothing as Hikari placed her hand atop Takeru's, the one over the mark on his shoulder. His emotions felt conflicted by the action, but he found he could not say anything as his blue eyes looked into her red ones, which were overflowing with worry and fear… for him.

"Look!" a familiar feminine voice shouted. "There they are!"

The group turned to see Mimi, Palmon, and Iori heading towards them at a brisk pace. Mimi was the first to reach them, wearing a huge smile on her face. "I'm so relieved you're all okay!"

"Actually…," Daisuke said as he scratched the back of his head, only sparing a brief glance back at the other group as they approached. "We're not actually all okay. Takeru's shoulder might be getting deleted."

"Takaishi," Miyako's disembodied voice said, "you and Patamon warp back to the real world. Being here might worsen your condition."

Koshiro tried to get a better look at Takeru's affliction, frowning at the other boy's attempts to keep it hidden. "She's right. We need to know what that stuff did to you exactly. I know it's not exactly a natural injury, but Jou might have some ideas on how to help." His next words came out in a mutter. "I wish I could contact Gennai. He'd probably have some idea on what's going on."

Takeru felt his insides clench. Everyone was worrying about him, regardless of what he said. While part of him admitted they had a point, it was just paranoia and fear. His shoulder did not hurt anymore – or at least not that much – he was not being 'deleted', and he was _not_ going to turn tail and run because something stained his skin gray.

"I said I'm fine," Takeru said. Though he tried his best to sound calm, an undercurrent of tension clung to his words. "We need to hurry up and take care of things here before that Kaiser decides to come back."

Hikari squeezed Takeru's hand in a gentle but firm grip. She wanted to insist that he leave, but seeing the hardness in his eyes, the way he now avoided her gaze, told her that arguing with him would be fruitless. "Takeru… if… if it gets any worse, I want you to go back right away, okay?"

Takeru hesitated to reply, biting back a reflexive urge to say that it would not come to that, then nodded hesitantly. As much as he disliked being coddled like he was a child, he knew that if he was suffering from terrible pain he would have to leave to go to a hospital. It only made sense, and if anyone of them were in bad shape, he would have recommended the same thing in a heartbeat. However, as it was, he only felt tired, sore, and a little bit irritable. A good night's sleep would fix all three of those things, and none of them were good enough reasons to abandon the mission. "I promise."

Hikari smiled, though it did not quite reach her eyes.

"Okay," Miyako said with a sigh. "If you're going to be stubborn I'll just start giving directions to the Dark Tower now. I found it on the map. That ballsy brat put it right at the center of the city."

Takeru ignored the jab, instead focusing on the corridor ahead of them. "Can you turn on the lights? It's still–"

Takeru stopped instantly as he belatedly realized that not only was it not dark, but everything was covered in the same eerie red glow that he saw when he returned from the monochrome world. He jerked back in surprise and looked at their surroundings, feeling off-kilter that he could have been so focused inwardly that he did not notice when the area switched from dim blackness to a disturbing red hue again. He quickly found the source of the red light – a single light bulb placed on the ceiling directly above Iori's head. "What…?"

Iori's expression was deadpan. "I am aware."

Daisuke tilted his head slightly as he regarded the red light. "Is that some kinda dark room light or something?"

Mimi shook her head. "We don't think so. Iori said this light has been following him around everywhere and he can't get rid of it." She turned a wary eye up towards the red bulb. "It's a little creepy…"

Koshiro hummed softly as he regarded the strange light. "Well, we'll just have to worry about that later. We don't know how long it'll be before the Digimon Kaiser realizes Miyako is free."

Takeru nodded. "I think we've wasted enough time as it is."

"You're right," Tailmon said as she glanced skyward. "Lead the way."

* * *

><p>Thanks to Miyako's guidance, the Chosen had a much easier time working their way through the darkened corridors of Factory Town. With the multiple views she had through the computer screens, she was better able to warn the group when they were about to encounter the sinister abominations that lurked about, and redirect them to a safer path. Compared to the rocky and unproductive hours they had spent prior, it took almost no time at all to make their way to the control room to collect Miyako before following the route she memorized that would lead them to the Dark Tower.<p>

The trip to the Dark Tower was far more tense than the walk to the computer room. Without the aid of the security room's monitors, they no longer had any idea where the creatures could be. To make matters even more unnerving, the red light bulb had disappeared shortly after Miyako joined up, leaving the Chosen with only a flashlight and their Digivices to lead them along what they hoped was the correct path. Every shifting shadow gave a fresh chill of fear, hurrying the group along. During this stretch of the trip, no one spoke, save for Miyako, and even then it was only to give directions. They were all listening for the sound of water, static, and screams.

Although the trip took only minutes, it felt as though each one lasted an hour. Relief only came when they arrived at the central plaza, where the Dark Tower stood proudly right at the heart of factory town. The obsidian monument was a welcome sight, but also an unpleasant one, as it reminded the Chosen why they were there.

Strangely, the Chosen found that there was also a new element of discomfort to the symbol of the Digimon Kaiser's empire. The exact shade of the Dark Tower and the way it glistened in the dim light reminded them uncomfortably of the abominations that had been hunting them down.

Takeru was the first to break the tense silence. "There it is," he muttered, knowing that he was stating the obvious. He held up his Digivice, glancing over to the small orange Digimon hovering beside him. "Patamon, are you ready?"

Patamon nodded as he and the other Digimon straightened up and looked to their partners. "We're ready, Takeru!"

The air was soon filled with shouts, and for one glorious moment, the light of evolution banished the darkness along with much of the fear that clung to the Chosen Children. When every Chosen Digimon – save Tailmon – transformed spectacularly into an Armor Evolution, all of the Chosen became renewed.

Iori stared as the small, childish Digimon around him disappeared in bursts of light. What emerged from the light were much larger Digimon, ones more obviously ready to battle, with only some superficial similarities to their previous forms. It was enough to freeze the new Chosen Child in his place, watching the transformation with wide eyes. It took him quite a bit of effort to get his mouth to work. "This is… what it means to be a Digimon?"

Daisuke's smile stretched from ear to ear. "Great, isn't it? Fladramon is awesome!"

Iori looked at Fladramon for a long moment. When words failed him, his eyes traveled to the other Digimon, taking in their impressive appearances as they charged at the Dark Tower, before he turned to Miyako. "I… see."

Miyako flashed Iori a grin. While his expression rarely changed, she had known him long enough to spot the tiny telltale clues that let her know that he was absolutely and completely dumbfounded by what had just happened. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it – especially when you get _your_ partner."

Iori faltered on a response for a long moment, his brow twitching slightly. "_My_ partner…?"

The sounds of battle drew out any further attempts at conversation. Fladramon was first to reach the Dark Tower, slamming a flame-covered fist into its side and cracking off a chunk of gray stone that instantly liquidized. "Knuckle Fire!"

"Wind of Pain!" Shutumon shouted as she went after the same side Fladramon targeted, only higher up, blasting it with a wind of glowing feathers.

Blade Kuwagamon turned a brilliant shade of white as he flew towards the opposite side of the tower. "Spark Blade!" His large sword thrummed with energy as he carved out deep notches into the Dark Tower.

"Cat Punch!" Tailmon followed up Blade Kuwagamon's attack by slamming her fist slammed her fist into the weakened area, splintering large fragments into every direction and crushing more inward.

"Shooting Star!" Stars shot out of Pegasmon's wings, striking the very top of the Dark Tower, away from the others. The blow, coupled with the now severely weakened base, was enough to send the black obelisk toppling towards the ground. The rest of the Chosen Digimon backed away quickly as the tower began to crumble and liquidize, returning immediately to the raised catwalk where their partners were safely waiting for them, before Factory Town became flooded with dark water.

Tailmon used her nimble claws to climb some pipes along the wall to reach the catwalk and land on the railing beside Hikari, who watched the flood with an unnerving, unblinking gaze. She frowned, but said nothing, focusing more on her Chosen Child than on the results of their efforts.

Fladramon made it to the catwalk in a single impressive leap to land beside Daisuke, who applauded his efforts. He took a moment to bask in the praise before peering over the side of the catwalk to admire the results of their handiwork. Even in the dim light, the remains of the Dark Tower could be seen stripping the color from everything it touched. He would not have thought it would be possible to remove color from silvery metal, but there was a sharp contrast between the parts of Factory Town that remained out of reach of the flood, and everything that the dark water touched. The shine was gone from the metal, and it appeared wrong somehow, although he could not say how exactly. It almost looked as though the water was leaving a residue, but not quite. Perhaps the dark water was not leaving anything behind – it was taking.

Takeru felt his shoulder throb slightly at the sight. The sound of the flood was amplified in his ear until it became almost deafening. The water crashed and rumbled like waves against the shore, with a hint of something else that he could not readily identify. It was enough to make his skin feel cold and clammy, the hair standing up on the back of his neck. Although the destruction of this Dark Tower was virtually identical to the previous ones, somehow it felt completely different. "What _is_ that stuff…?"

Koshiro frowned as he watched the dark water slowly start to recede. "I don't know, but maybe we should try and catch some of it before it's all gone. Maybe if we can figure out it's coding–"

"No!" Hikari said, the word harsh, as she gripped the railing tightly. "Don't even think about going near it! It's too dangerous!"

Miyako cocked an eyebrow at Hikari. "If you've got some ideas what it is we're dealing with, feel free to clue us in any time, Yagami."

Hikari's eyes never strayed from the dark water as she waited for it to disappear. "I don't know… I really don't know! It's just been in my nightmares for weeks now… getting worse and worse… I-I've seen it do things to Digimon…" Her eyes squeezed shut as pain filled her expression. "Horrible things."

Mimi walked to Hikari's side and wrapped her arm around the younger girl's shoulder, who flinched initially at the touch. "It's okay, Hikari. We'll figure out a way to get rid of this stuff without getting too close to it."

"Again," Miyako said as she gave Takeru a sideways glance.

Suddenly all eyes were on Takeru, focusing on the hole in his shirt and the patch of gray on his shoulder. He refused to look at anyone, but he could feel them staring at his shoulder. Trying to hide the mark was pointless, and doing so would only fuel their belief that it was worse than it actually was. He knew it would be better to simply not recognize the question on their minds and change the subject. "It's disappearing, anyway. I doubt we have anything that could contain it and keep it from doing that."

Daisuke scratched his cheek as he shifted his focus back to the dark water. "I wonder how Tiny Tower makes that stuff into Dark Towers and gets it to turn into those freaky monsters if it goes away so fast. Just look at it. It's disappearing faster than water on asphalt in summer during a heatwave."

"That's a _very_ good question," Takeru said. "And how he can make them in to Evil Rings–"

"_Have at thee_!"

All the assembled Chosen jerked back as a sharp cry pierced the darkness – all save Iori. In an instant, he brought out his bokken and used it to block two swords just centimeters from his face.

"W-w-w-what the hell–!?" Daisuke shouted, nearly dropping the flashlight that V-mon had returned to him prior to evolving.

"Is that…?" Takeru gasped, his eyebrows arching.

Iori growled as his eyes narrowed, the bokken quivering slightly as it held the swords at bay. "You."

"So your instincts are indeed as sharp as ever," Gladimon said, his eyes narrowed as he glared at Iori. With a shove from the Chosen Child, he leapt high into the air and then landed on the railing of an adjacent catwalk. "You cannot escape me or my Digimon Kaiser's justice now, knave!" He pointed one of his swords at Iori. "Reveal thy identity at once!"

Iori let out an irritated puff of air through his nose. He had been ready to give a retort, when Gladimon's booming voice drowned out the first syllable.

"If you will not give your name, then I shall dishonor you twice over by giving mine again!" Gladimon shouted, his voice more cutting than his swords. He made a sweeping gesture to his right with one of his rapiers. "I am the undefeated champion of the Digimon Kaiser's Factory Town." He drew his left sword outward in an arc. "A budding supernova in the great Digimon Kaiser's glorious army." He brought his rapiers together in an X shape. "The mere mention of my name strikes fear into the hearts of my lord's enemies." He drew his swords apart with a scrape of metal and formed them into a V. "My comrades call me the Shooting Star of the Digital World!" He crashed his swords together to create a sound not unlike thunder. "Gladimon, Adult Vaccine Warrior."

Mimi blinked slowly. "Wait a second… Didn't he give us this exact same speech last time?"

Miyako groaned and rubbed her temples in small circles. "Yeeeup. Right down to the doofy poses too. Though I think last time he called himself 'the Silver Thunder' or something like that."

"Huh," Daisuke said. "This is the first time a bad guy actually acted like one from a TV show."

Gladimon pointed a sword towards Iori. "Now, thou _shall_ reveal thine identity or be dishonored twice over, cur!"

Iori narrowed his eyes, piercing Gladimon with a hard stare. After a pregnant paused, he straightened, angling his chin slightly higher. "No."

One of Gladimon's eyes widened while the other narrowed, as though he was raising an unseen eyebrow. "'No'? Such a strange thing to be given a name that literally means the negation of something, but then you are a strange manner of creature and perhaps that name suits you most of all!"

The sound of Miyako slapping her palm against her face was loud enough to create a faint echo. "For the love of… Are you _really_ that stupid? He means 'no' as in he's not going to tell you his name, _idiot_!"

Gladimon jerked back, both eyes huge and round. "What? Inconceivable! Have you no honor whatsoever_?_!"

"I could say the same to you," Iori said, his tone icy. "One who'd attack an unarmed opponent has no claim to honor, or to be the judge of honor."

"Ah, but you are clearly armed!" Gladimon said. "Now fight me!" There was no hesitation to wait for a response, as he immediately charged Iori with both rapiers pointing directly at the stoic Chosen Child.

Iori saw no point in clarifying that he had been referring to the attack on Miyako. He could see that words were beyond this Digimon's ability to understand, which meant that the only response could be action. He went into a low crouch as he readied his bokken then charged the Adult, ignoring the cries of shock, the warnings for him to watch out for the impending attack, and how the Chosen Digimon were already rushing forward to intercept Gladimon before the evil Digimon's attack struck home. He brought his wooden sword down in one clean stroke, parrying the two rapiers, before he whipped the sword up again, striking Gladimon's side and sending his foe toppling up and back, off balance. Gladimon cried out, but had no more chance to react beyond that before Iori struck out with a forward thrust, slamming the tip of the bokken against the Digimon's armor with as much force as he could muster.

A loud clang echoed as Gladimon was sent flying backwards like a billiard ball, bouncing off the walls and metal beams before shooting straight through the metal dome high above the Chosen. The impact tore a sizable hole in the dome, allowing daylight to filter into the darkened factory.

Iori remained crouched for a moment as he waited to see if Gladimon would return. When no such sign of the enemy Digimon appeared, he straightened up, lowering his bokken. "Hmph."

"That's…," Hikari said, but words quickly failed her. She stared at Iori, uncertain what to make of the newest Chosen Child's power.

"Incredible," Koshiro said, his voice low with awe.

"That's what happened last time too," Mimi murmured. "Except Gladimon went even further this time."

Daisuke gawked at Iori, his eyes practically bugging out. "What the heck? How did you _do_ that?"

Miyako gave Daisuke a sideways look. "Motomiya, we're in an alternate dimension made up of data from billions of computers that wound up creating sentient life. Said life is able to evolve into super powered beings able to level a city, and, oh yeah, apparently this world can mess with time and space itself and create giant rifts sky back in our world." She turned her gaze to the hole Gladimon made. "I think the question we should be asking is what _can't_ happen here?"

Koshiro looked to Miyako and frowned, not quite satisfied with that answer. "That's true but…" His gaze returned to Iori. "You've never done anything like that in the real world, have you, Iori?"

Iori shook his head as he turned to face the other Chosen. "No, I have not. While I do train quite seriously, this is… different. And I am fairly certain that my bokken is stronger here than it is in… 'our' world. It feels like it is made of real steel or a similar metal, rather than wood."

Takeru looked at the newest Chosen's weapon as he crossed his arms. "There has to be a reason for it, but what? And how do we find out?" He cocked his head, letting his gaze travel up towards the hole as he contemplated the situation. "We could ask Jijimon. He seems to know things. …To a point."

Mimi looked around at the others. "So what do we do now?"

Miyako's mouth tightened into a straight line. "We get my partner back from the Digimon Kaiser."

"That's going to be a problem," Koshiro said quietly. "You didn't find any sign of him in the security room, and there was nothing on the maps that might be where he's hiding out, right?"

Miyako grunted with displeasure. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean the little twit isn't still skulking around someplace!"

Hikari's gaze kept traveling to Takeru's shoulder. "Maybe we should–"

A horrific shriek tore through the air, the sound a terrible jumble of countless voices distorted and overlapping with one another. The noise was filled with hate, sorrow, pain, and fear, chilling the Chosen down to their bones. The sound seemed to come from everywhere, forcing the Chosen to look around wildly until they spotted the source.

The abominations had found them.

The monsters dribbled out of air vents to splatter onto the ground and sluggishly create new limbs and heads in all the wrong places. They slithered from behind corners, and oozed out of cracks in between the machinery, clawing their way out of tight spaces with arms and hands that grew faces with screaming mouths. None had reached the catwalk yet, but it was only a matter of time. All of the empty eyes were turned towards them, leaving no question that the horrors were coming for the Chosen.

Before the Chosen could fully process the fact that they were surrounded by the creatures, a loud roar rocked the air, drowning even the twisted cries of the abominations, and making the Chosen quake from sheer air pressure alone. The terrifying sound was the only warning the Chosen had before a pair of large metal doors were ripped off their hinges, crinkling like crumbled paper. Through the destroyed door there was only darkness, so for a moment there was only a terrible sense of anticipation, before it was revealed that the darkness was more of the slime that made up the abominations. However, this one did not immediately form any recognizable body parts, remaining as a giant mass of liquid that flowed its way in, a slow flood that was covering the town square of Factory Town and consuming the smaller horrors that disappeared screaming into its bulk.

The massive amount of dark ooze twisted and squirmed about, a multitude of features taking form and dissolving in the writhing pass as it slid through the doorway and across the floor with a sickening slurp. A massive clawed arm shot out once, coming close to the catwalk, which made the Chosen move back in alarm, but the creature did not attack, not yet. Another arm emerged, huge and wicked, its edges jagged. Once it had consumed the other creatures, it used those giant arms to slowly rise up where the Dark Tower used to be.

More body parts started to appear like with the other horrors, but on a more massive scale. The giant head of a Kabuterimon appeared, followed by the wing of an Angemon, the arm of a Devimon, the back leg of a Garurumon, and then a Skull Greymon and Kuwagamon whose heads were halfway fused together. One by one they appeared, only to disappear again, as its bulk continued to form upward into a giant glistening bulbous hill that slowly formed into something resembling a real, if grotesque body.

Daisuke was the first to push himself out of his frozen stupor and somehow make make his voice work. "Wh…at… what the heck is… is that thing_?_!" It was a dumb question and he knew it, but it was all he could think of as he looked at the giant abomination taking shape before him. The sudden weakness in his knees made him feel as though he was only standing because he had one hand braced on the catwalk railing.

"They're…," Koshiro said slowly, forcing the words out through his tight throat. "Th-they're… _merging_…?"

Mimi froze in place, her eyes wide and unblinking as she focused entirely on the coagulating monster. The aura of pure terror that accompanied the creatures hit her so strongly that she could do barely more than let out a tiny squeak that was a bare fraction of the scream that was echoing inside of her head.

Miyako moved closer to Iori never taking her eyes off the terror that appeared in front of them, as tremors ran through her body. The small part of her that could still think straight wanted to say something to rally their courage, but words failed her. Seeing these creatures on monitors was vastly different from being exposed to them in person. She thought that she had grown used to them, look at them objectively as another enemy to face when she saw them in person. She was not prepared for the way their very presence preyed on her and made her instincts scream at her to flee for her life.

Iori held his bokken in a white-knuckled grip as he stood in front of Miyako, his entire body tense to the point that his weapon shook faintly in front of him. He had no idea know what good his wooden sword would do, but he had to remind himself that it had done more than he or any of the rest of the Chosen had expected. If he could defeat an enemy that the others deemed too impossible for a human to take on, then he could face this thing. That was what he told himself, but somehow he could not bring himself to believe it in the face of the pure fear growing in front of him.

Hikari trembled, her fingers tightening on the rail of the catwalk at her side. The monstrosity that had been born from the smaller ones was massive. Though inside a part of her screamed for her to run, she was caught staring at it like a mouse locking eyes with a snake, too petrified to move.

Takeru's shoulder throbbed almost in time with his pulse as his heart beat furiously in his chest. Swallowing hard, he attempted to ignore the pain, to push away the coldness that he felt in his fingertips and toes, and instead focus on what was in front of him. "What the hell did he make…?"

The abomination moved into the lone beam of sunlight from the hole in the dome Gladimon made and underwent a different kind of transformation. The ever changing patchwork of limbs and faces disappeared into its gelatinous body, which seemed to slowly solidify. The skin became jagged and stiff, though it still glistened wetly, and its features grew more distinct. The single mound split in the middle, shaping into two draconian heads, the left having two small spike horns and a large nose horn while the right had two large spike horns. The large claws it sported sharpened and dug deeply into the metal walls on either side of it with a horrible shriek as its muscles rippled and flexed.

The Chosen were so focused in staring at the creature that none of them realized that strands of light that kept trying to wrap around the creature until the glow was nearly as bright as the sunlight outside. However, the bands of light would constantly crumble before one end connected to the next, only to form again. It was a constant, almost futile effort, yet the light kept appearing time and time again, as though attempting to ensnare the beast far too powerful for it to contain. Glowing golden runes appeared along the bands, visible only for a moment before the surface they were etched upon disintegrated like a cascading waterfall. Still, it granted enough time for the Chosen to recognize the runes and what they represented.

Courage, Friendship, Purity, Knowledge, Honesty, Love, and Hope.

"The crests!" Pegasmon shouted.

Two sets of glowing gold surfaced in the solidifying surface of each of the beast's heads. The blazing eyes shifted in the direction of the Chosen, but never quite at them. The eyes were wild and unseeing, clearly registering that something or someone was nearby, but could not yet see them. The creature stopped moving its gaze about before it reared back, each head splitting open at the bottom to reveal rows of terrible teeth as it let out another great roar that forced the Chosen to cover their ears as the sound bombarded them and damaged the walls that surrounded the abomination.

Shutumon slowly lowered her hands from her ears. "What… what _is_ that _thing_?" The question was aimed at no one in particular, as she kept her gaze fixed entirely at the creature. "It's so… horrible!"

Takeru moved closer in spite of his fear, shifting his attention to the flickering runes. "W-why… why is it… why are our cres–"

Another terrible roar bellowed out from the monstrosity, not loud enough to damage its surroundings this time, but more than enough to completely drown out Takeru's voice. The creature lowered its heads as it slowly pulled its still somewhat gelatinous body towards the Chosen, carving deep trenches into the floor that made the metal scream as though it was in agony.

Tailmon crouched, her fur bristling with fear even as she readied herself to fight. "It's coming!"

"D-Daisuke, g-get back!" Fladramon said in a wavering voice as he brought his fists up defensively. "I'll… I'll protect you!"

Shutumon moved in closer to the others, her wings twitching with the barely suppressed urge to flee. "W-we c-can f-fight this!"

"Koshiro, things have gotten very dangerous," Blade Kuwagamon said as he hovered in front of his partner. "Please escape immediately."

Koshiro glanced at Blade Kuwagamon only briefly before his eyes were drawn back to the abomination down below. "R-right!" He fumbled blindly into his pocket for his Digivice, his hand shaking too badly to get a good grip on it.

"Hikari!" Tailmon shouted as she spared only a brief glance towards her partner. "Go, now! We'll–"

Yet another roar drowned out the Chosen, as the creature came within claw's reach of the catwalk. In that moment, the light died. Through the gaping hole in the dome, the Chosen caught sight of the moon covering the sun in an eclipse. Factory Town plunged into darkness so complete that only the blazing gold eyes of the monster and the sparks of Blade Kuwagamon's wings were visible.

Panic came swiftly, leaving the Chosen fumbling around in the dark to evade an enemy they could no longer see. Things only grew worse as a new and terrifying sound pierced the gloom. Terrible screams of a thousand voices rang out from the dark and echoed off the high ceiling and metal walls, the sound made of pure unfathomable pain and agony.

The shriek that had been building up inside Mimi finally tore free from her as she stumbled backward, hitting her rump hard against the catwalk. She only stopped herself from crying when she heard Shutumon shout her name, panicked.

"I-I'm okay!" Mimi said, her shaky voice proving her a liar.

Daisuke fumbled with the flashlight and turned it in the direction he last saw the creature. His wild movements made the shadows dance until he could hold the beam of light steady, showing the Chosen a most disturbing and perplexing scene.

Countless wisps made of pure black ensnared the dark body of the abomination. At first, the tendrils could have been mistaken for part of its body. However, while creature glistened wetly in the light, the streaks of black that ensnared it never grew more defined than the darkest shadows, swallowing the light completely. They writhed across the monstrosity, binding it, before ripping it apart with a sickening wet sound.

The Chosen could only stare, transfixed and terrified, as pure darkness tore the monster born from dark water to pieces. Its screams were unbearable to hear, yet none of the children or Digimon could look away from that small spot of light that showed them something truly ghastly. It seemed as though the rending went on for hours, yet only minutes passed before the darkness consumed the abomination altogether then disappeared, leaving nothing behind but silence.

No one dared to speak until the eclipse ended and daylight once again glistened through the hole in the dome. The fear that the abomination brought with it slowly faded as the light returned and illuminated the heart of Factory Town. There was no sign of the monster or the darkness that tore it apart within that beam of sunlight, or within the circle of Daisuke's flashlight. There were no voices, no hint of movement, and no sign that anything was left in Factory Town but the Chosen.

Takeru gripped the catwalk tightly until he felt his hands were about to break, gasping for breath as he attempted to catch up with the demands of his burning lungs. It was only then that he realized he had been holding his breath. "What…"

"It's gone…," Tailmon whispered, all the fur bristled along the back of her neck still bristled from tension.

A sudden beep caused all the Chosen to jump, some shrieking in surprise, as the noise sounded far more loud than it had any right to in the overwhelming silence. A second later, the Chosen Children realized almost in the same instant that it was an email notice. The D-Terminals were working again.

Takeru fumbled to take out his D-Terminal with trembling fingers to find an email from his brother, asking if they were all right. He took longer than he would have liked to respond, as his frazzled nerves and shaky hands kept making typos that he had to fix. "We're fine."

The answer came automatically, even though Takeru most certainly did not feel fine. Unfortunately, by the time he thought better of it, he had long since hit send. He considered writing a follow up, then decided his response was for the best. He was not about to vocalize how he really felt when everyone was already overreacting over his shoulder. Instead, he looked around at the others, who were still obviously on edge, waiting for something to happen. "Everyone's… fine, right?"

Mimi shook her head, sniffling, as tears started to leak out of the corners of her eyes. She made a high-pitched noise, but no words came out. The sheer terror of the monster had been so intense that she could not articulate her feelings with more than quiet sobs. Shutumon knelt beside her immediately, and she grabbed onto her partner tightly before burying her face in Shutumon's chest.

Iori flinched at the question, still standing in his tense ready stance with his bokken gripped tightly in front of him. His body was shaky from the waning adrenaline that had surged through his system when facing the abomination, but he managed to force himself to slowly lower his weapon, though he did not relax. He wrenched his gaze away from where the monster had been to look at Miyako. The sight of her quivering, pale face forced him to steel his nerves and push back his own fear and confusion. He put on a solid face, a dependable face, a face of someone who had not just been terrified by a giant dissolving monster that could have eaten all of them in one bite with just one of its two heads. "It's all right. The creature is gone."

Miyako snapped back to attention when she realized that people were looking at her. She had not been paying attention to the conversation, too focused on the abomination, but now she straightened her spine and smoothed out her expression into a smile that failed to reach her eyes. "W-well, that takes care of that!"

Daisuke continued to stare at the spot where the monster had been, his flashlight beam aimed squarely where the last speck of the darkness had been before it took the creature away. "Okay…," he said weakly. "What the heck was that?" He turned towards the others, the volume of his voice spiking. "What the _hell_ was that_?_!"

"I don't know…," Koshiro muttered. Once the invasive fear the creature created faded away, it left him feeling numb, almost empty. All he knew for certain was that he did not want to have to face that monster again.

Hikari rubbed her arms to fight off a chill that ran through her body. Her skin was more pale than usual, and a light sheen of sweat matted stray hairs to her forehead. "We… we need to find out if there are any Digimon left…"

Takeru looked up sharply at that. "That's right! We haven't even come across Andromon!" He paused as a sudden thought struck him, and his expression twisted in distaste. "Actually, I haven't come across any Digimon except for that Gladimon."

"And those Numemon," Koshiro said.

Miyako ran her fingers through her hair. "The Numemon disappeared with Witchmon. Where they went, I have no clue. Those cameras let me see in the dark, and I looked pretty much everywhere, but all I saw was Gladimon occasionally skulking about and that's it. Unless I missed something, I think the Kaiser emptied out the place after his trap was sprung."

Mimi pulled herself away from Shutumon just enough to turn her wet gaze towards the sky. "E-everyone!" Her voice was a little stronger than before, though it still trembled with emotion. "Lo-look around with the D-Digital Gate and see if you can find any of the Digimon!"

Miyako gave Mimi a curious look. "Um… You _do_ remember we've got D-Terminals, right? You can just use that to talk with the others back at Koshiro's place." She paused, frowning. "Well, _you_ guys can. I've got to make a couple more for me and Iori."

"No, really," Daisuke said, fighting a lingering sense of hysteria as he looked around at the others. "Was that thing a Digimon or what?" After seeing the unpleasant expressions on the rest of the Chosen, he focused on Miyako. "Didn't Tiny Tower, I dunno, _gloat_ or anything about what that was?"

Miyako let out a huff of air through her nose, irritated by the reminder. "Oh, he gloated all right, but that brat never said _what_ he unleashed on us. He just let it out of a tube after monologuing stupid crap about the Digital World being a war zone and how he can hack it, and basically he's an arrogant twit with a god complex. I'll type up a transcript of as much as I can remember of it when I get home." Of course, she planned to leave out the part where the Digimon Kaiser insinuated that she _wanted_ to wear a sailor skirt and high heels.

A beep cut off the conversation. Takeru glanced over his D-Terminal's screen then frowned. "They said that Factory Town is totally empty."

Hikari closed her eyes and let out a sigh that was nearly a groan as she leaned against the rail. "Then let's go home."

"Yeah," Daisuke muttered, turning his gaze back to where the creature had been. "I'm sick of spending time in a horror movie turned real."

Takeru nodded before he pulled out his Digivice. He hesitated for only a moment to look around the newly created ghost town of Factory Town.

As much as Takeru hated to admit it, the only thing the Chosen had accomplished was freeing the area from the Digimon Kaiser. While that was an accomplishment, it was tainted by the fact that none of the captured Digimon had been rescued. Worse, he recalled just how effortlessly the Digimon Kaiser could summon Dark Towers. Once they left, there would be nothing to stop the tyrant from just reclaiming Factory Town. It felt to him as though they were retreating, rather than leaving after a victory.

"Digital Gate open!" Takeru said, the words tasting bitter on his tongue, as he summoned the light that would take them all home.


	19. Chapter 18

The atmosphere was somber when the Chosen Children returned from the Digital World. Although the group had destroyed the Dark Tower and freed Factory town, their mission had been a failure – they saved no one.

Yamato slumped against the couch, glaring off into the distance at nothing in particular. "That brat's probably laughing, wherever he is."

"And he has the Digimon with him," Sora muttered, looking down at her clasped hands as she leaned against the wall. "Doing who knows what."

"Including Andromon," Takeru said as he gripped his Digivice tightly enough that it shook faintly. All of the Digimon were important, but he had great reason to be more concerned about Andromon. Andromon was a Perfect level Digimon, which was an evolution that none of their partners could do at the moment. He was unsure how Digimental evolutions compared to a Perfect, but he was not looking forward to finding out. "There's no doubt in my mind that he plans on using Andromon against us, so why didn't he use Andromon at Factory Town? Why did he use those creatures instead?"

Daisuke let out a frustrated breath. "Who knows why Tiny Tower is doing _anything_? He's just a jerk!"

Taichi walked the length of Koshiro's living room slowly, brooding. "I'll bet the Digimon Kaiser knew we'd free Andromon like we did Centarumon and the others and made sure he wouldn't be there."

Miyako folded her arms in front of her chest, relieved to be back in her normal clothes. "His plan was probably to keep us off guard so much we couldn't think straight long enough to get the Evil Rings off any of the Digimon we _did_ encounter."

Tailmon stood on the back of the recliner Hikari sat in, overlooking her pale partner with a critical gaze. "He expected us to go for the Evil Rings, so he purposely distracted us with the darkness," he muttered. "In the chaos, we couldn't even target the Numemon or risk seriously hurting them or ourselves, or even just falling in to the drainage ditches."

Koshiro ran his hand through his hair and let out a heavy breath. He still felt shaken after everything that had happened in Factory Town. "It seems like we might have to rethink our strategies."

Hikari was not as focused on the conversation as she was on Takeru, particularly his shoulder. She should have felt relieved that there was no sign of the gray taint on his shirt, but she could not shake her sense of unease. "Takeru… maybe you should check to see how your shoulder's doing."

Takeru flinched at the reminder before he glanced over to Hikari. "Don't worry, it feels fine."

"Huh?" Yamato was on his feet in an instant, whipping around to face Hikari. "His shoulder? What happened to his shoulder?"

Takeru grimaced as Yamato turned an alarmed gaze his way. He gripped his Digivice even more tightly, holding it in his pocket in an attempt to hide his rising tension. He was not surprised that Yamato went from defeated to panic in a split second the moment someone suggested something unfortunate had happened to him. He needed to stop the situation from escalating anymore than it already had. "Just a little accident, but it's fine. Stuff happens in the darkness, you know?"

Hikari's expression contorted with a tinge of nausea. "Could you at least go to the bathroom and look at it in the mirror? Please?"

"I'll check when I get home," Takeru said as he gave Hikari a smile that he hoped was reassuring. "Really, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt at all." It was the truth, as the soreness had been replaced with a numb sensation that reminded him of what he had felt in the strange black and white world he had experienced after coming in contact with one of the abominations. It was better than pain, he supposed, and he took it as a sign that it was recovering – like the pins and needles of blood returning to a foot that fell asleep.

Hikari returned the smile, though it was weak, and her eyes clearly showed that she was far from reassured. "Okay."

Miyako rubbed her temple with two fingers. "You know, somehow I think your skin turning dark like it's got _gangrene_ isn't something that's just going to go _poof_ like our clothes. Call it a hunch."

Jou was on his feet in an instant, his Digivice tumbling from his grasp. "G-g-gangrene!_?_" The word sent his mind spinning with awful memories of textbooks he studied showing in graphic detail the symptoms and terrible consequences that came with it. He wracked his brain trying to remember treatments, but all that kept coming were photographs of dead flesh, blackened limbs, and rot coming from the inside out. It was too much for him, far beyond meager abilities as a field nurse for their team. "H-_hospital_!"

Daisuke blinked at the term. "What's gangrene?"

Takeru felt himself bristle, his tolerance growing thin after everything that had happened within the past few hours. "It's nothing. It's probably just a bruise." He knew that his friends were just worried about them and that he should appreciate their concern, but instead it was only making him irritated. "I doubt it's anything as serious as–"

The protest was cut off in a squawk as Yamato lunged at Takeru, yanking his little brother's shirt up and off before Takeru could do little more than sputter his name. A collective gasp resounded through the room as Takeru's shoulder was exposed. In the dimness of Factory Town, the patch of gray on the Chosen of Hope's skin was hard to make out. Now, in the bright lights of the Izumi apartment, all of the Chosen could see how unnatural the discoloration was. The edges of the stain were sharp and angular, as though it was made from multiple tiny squares arranged to create something resembling a blocky circle, with thin, dark lines extending further, as though a grid had been branded into his skin.

Yamato stared at the unnatural color of his brother's shoulder, completely taken aback. "What… what the hell is that!_?_"

Hikari covered her mouth as she looked at the darkness marring Takeru's skin, her face pale. She could do little more than whisper Takeru's name, her voice choked.

Patamon flew in close to Takeru to get a better look at his partner's injury. "That doesn't look good at all…"

Miyako raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, _that_ looks like a normal bruise."

Mimi cringed back a little. "What in the world _is_ that?"

"Reminds me of a burn…," Daisuke muttered, stopping himself just short of poking Takeru's injury.

Takeru took advantage of his brother's shock to wrestle himself free, yanking his shirt back down as he shot Yamato a fierce scowl, practically baring his teeth at his older brother. "_Enough_ already, _all_ of you!"

Taichi jerked back at the outburst and held up his hands in a placating manner. "Whoa, hey, calm down, Takeru."

"No, _you_ calm down!" Takeru shouted as he pointed at Taichi. He swept his accusing finger across the room, aiming it at nearly everyone in turn. All of his anger was boiling over inside of him, burning like a roiling inferno. He had never felt so angry in his life, and he could not stop the torrent from bursting out of him. "I am _sick_ and _tired_ of this crap! You don't know how I'm feeling, you don't know what the mark is supposed to even mean! And yet you keep bringing it up and _ignoring_ me when I say I'm _fine_! You're all just making crap up and freaking out when you haven't got a _damn_ clue, and I – am – _sick of it_! Unless one of you has some insight that I don't and can tell me _exactly_ what this is and why I should be worried, _leave me alone_!"

Yamato stared at Takeru with wide eyes. His emotions wavered between concern for Takeru's injury and anger at being unable to be there to shock at his younger brother's outburst. It was very much not like Takeru at all, he was having a lot of trouble reconciling what was happening.

Hikari cringed at the tirade Takeru unleashed and focused her gaze down at her lap. She regretted bringing up the entire subject in the first place after seeing just how much it upset her friend.

"Excuse me," Iori said, his voice strangely calm in the face of such rage, yet carrying an underlining tone of authority. The other Chosen turned to stare at him, as he in turn glanced around to meet their gazes with a stern expression. As he spoke, he radiated with an aura of maturity, as if he were the eldest child there rather than one of the youngest. "I believe we have gone through enough for one day. If there is no reason to suspect that there is any imminent danger, we should leave the matter for another time. Emotions are high and that will only complicate matters."

Jou was quiet for a long moment he looked at Iori. Only minutes before before, he had awoken from his sense of lethargy to panic, wondering what he could do to treat Takeru's injury. At seeing the much younger boy so calm and collected was enough to make him feel a wave of embarrassment, shame, and a little bit of envy. He was the eldest, and yet one of the youngest was showing far more maturity. Even the way Iori spoke sounded far too old, far too grown up for someone several years his junior. It made him feel as though he was not just a failure as a Chosen, but as a senpai as well.

Taichi swept his gaze along the group that just returned from the Digital World. Looking closer, he could see that they were showing varying degrees of distress – even Iori who acted calm was keeping a white-knuckled grip on the bokken. "What the heck happened to you guys in there?"

Koshiro tried not to make it obvious that he kept looking towards Takeru. "The Digimon Kaiser, he…" He paused for a moment, faltering with his words. "He's got…" He fumbled for a moment to decide on a term that best described the abominations they faced. "…_monsters_ that _aren't_ Digimon."

"Yeah," Daisuke said, his tone subdued. He kept glancing at Takeru, unsure of how to take the blond's rant. "They're these shape-shifting blobby… things with lots of faces and hands and stuff that pretend to be people you know so that they get you. Hikari-chan thinks touching them is really, really bad, and I guess one touched Takeru and that's why his skin has that weird spot, and they're creepy as _Hell_!"

Tailmon's ears canted back as she fixed a narrow gaze towards a spot in the carpet. The image of Wizarmon's face haunted her, despite her best attempts to ignore it. "That… thing at the end… What is that brat playing with…?"

Mimi shuddered at the memory and hugged Palmon closer to her. "It was like being in a horror movie!" She buried her face in her partner's petals. "It was so scary! I… I don't want to face those… _things_ again!"

"It'll be okay, Mimi," Palmon said softly as she hugged Mimi fiercely. "I won't let any of them touch you."

Takeru grimaced, as the reminder made his shoulder throb dully for a moment before it returned to being numb. He dodged his brother's gaze, pretending to find Koshiro's computer fascinating. "What I want to know is why it had images of our crests on it." Unthinkingly he rubbed his shoulder, trying to get some of the feeling back in it. "And what that's supposed to mean."

"You know, I think that gray spot is something we should be worried about a _bit_ more right now," Miyako said, focusing her narrowed gaze at Takeru.

"The hell it is," Takeru said, stiffly. "I'd say our _crests_ are–"

Miyako continued unhindered, talking over Takeru's protest. "We need to know what that monster does if it touches someone, since for all we know it might be _fatal_. We already know they put you in a reeeeaaally foul mood." She paused then glanced sideways at Hikari. "…And we need to know why Yagami knows about it."

Hikari ran her hands along her face, brushing her limp bangs away. The act made her hairclip fall out, but she scarcely noticed. She kept looking towards Takeru, her expression sickly. "I don't know… I just keep seeing it in my nightmares."

Taichi jerked slightly, instantly alarmed, and he turned to Hikari with wide eyes. "Nightmares? What nightmares?"

"Exactly," Miyako said as she raised a finger. "You're the one with the connection to a god and made a lot of funky things happen, which means that you seeing those things in your dreams can't be a coincidence. I wouldn't be surprised if Tenraimon was trying to warn you about them, or something like that."

Hikari frowned, the suggestion making her feel uneasy. "I don't know… I don't think so. I… I haven't _spoken_ with Tenraimon in a long time…"

"It doesn't mean it's not her," Miyako said. "For all we know, she's been kidnapped or something to let darkness take over, and you're having nightmares because of it, kinda like how you… I think Koshiro summed it up as you feeling Tailmon nearly dying because of the Digimon Kaiser, which made you start panicking and screaming without really understanding _why_, let alone how you made that egg and brought her here, right?"

Hikari felt her stomach twist and she spared a brief glance towards Tailmon before quickly looking away as she saw her partner's intense stare. "Maybe… but… it doesn't really _feel_ like it's Tenraimon. I can't explain it, but…"

Miyako hummed quietly before frowning. "That doesn't mean that it _isn't_ her, though it could also be the Digimon Kaiser messing with you. He seems to have a real hate on for you because you remind him of someone – maybe an ex-girlfriend who broke up with him for being a spoiled brat who doesn't know how to treat a lady?"

Hikari let out a wordless noise of displeasure. "I don't know…"

Koshiro hummed softly, furrowing his brow. "Miyako _does_ have a point. Hikari has always had a strange connection to the Digital World."

"It may be a dream, or it may not be," Yamato said with a shake of his head. "But it's all we got to go on. If you can think of _anything_ at all that might help Takeru–"

"I – said – I'm – fine," Takeru said, grinding each word out through jaws clenched so tight that his teeth ached. Even though he knew that he was not all right, he felt compelled to say that he was. This subject had somehow become personal, and admitting to even the slightest ache felt like a loss.

Hikari buried her face in her hands and shook her head. "I don't know… I don't… It's just… I…" She stopped moving as revulsion crawled up from her stomach to her esophagus. "What happens in my dreams when those things… when they catch a Digimon… or… _me_…" A shudder ran through her, bringing with it an intense feeling of nausea that she had to fight to control.

Taichi placed his hand on Hikari's shoulder, brow furrowed with concern. "It's okay, Hikari. You don't have to think about it."

Miyako hummed thoughtfully as she looked Hikari over. "Well, if you can't explain it now, maybe you can later when things are calmed down a bit. You should probably start keeping a dream journal or something so you can remember all the details before they get hazy after waking up. Your dreams might be the key to figuring out what those things are and how to get rid of them." She paused then shrugged. "Besides, you know, the thing deciding to tear itself apart for no real reason."

Mimi shuddered and held Palmon just a little tighter. "Don't remind me. I'm going to be having nightmares about that for _years_!"

Miyako readjusted her glasses. "So anyway–"

"Aw, lay off Hikari-chan, Inoe," Daisuke said irritibly. "Just because you got to sit back and do nothing but play pretty captured sailor princess doesn't mean the rest of us aren't wiped from actually _dealing_ with those monsters."

Miyako shot Daisuke a glare. "Why don't _you_ try getting kidnapped and used as a hostage something, Motomiya!"

Daisuke barked out a short laugh. "As if I'd be dumb enough to give Tiny Tower the chance_._"

Miyako rounded on Daisuke. "Look, I got needled enough by that brat because he caught me off-guard. I don't need my '_teammates_' going after me too!"

"You're going after Hikari," Daisuke said, glaring at Miyako.

"It's not the same thing!" Miyako shouted. "I'm just trying to find out what Yagami knows, or don't you care that Takaishi might be in _serious danger_ from whatever it is that thing did to him_?_! I don't know if you were listening just now, but it sounded like what those things do when they touch you is _seriously bad news_!"

Daisuke jerked slightly, a flush of guilty heat rushing to his cheeks. "O-of course I care!"

"Don't bring me in to this," Takeru said, his voice rough as a dark feeling surged inside him. He did not like how Miyako was badgering Hikari any more than Daisuke did, and he especially disliked that he was being used as a pretense. The more everyone ignored him and focused on his injury, the angrier he felt. Even knowing that he would have been concerned for _their_ sakes if their positions had been switched was not having much of an effect. His mood was growing progressively sourer by the moment. "If Hikari doesn't know, she doesn't know. And neither does anyone else."

"Yeah," Daisuke said, nodding vigorously. "You shouldn't be badgering Hikari-chan! She's probably already told us everything she knows about what's wrong with Takeru already, all right?"

"Then stop being a white knight and let _her_ tell me off if I'm pushing too hard," Miyako said with an edge to her voice as she placed her hands on her hips. "Forgive me if I'm worried about Takaishi being _poisoned_ or something possibly even _worse_ a little more than I'm worried if Yagami is _tired_!"

"_I'm_ worried," Taichi said, frowning. "Look, it doesn't seem like it's an emergency or something to me, or Takeru would probably be in a ton of pain, right?" A brief flickering of uncertainty made him look towards Takeru until the younger boy nodded sharply. "Plus if Hikari _knew_ it was an emergency, she would've said so already."

Miyako cocked her head towards Hikari. "Good question. _Is_ it an emergency? How fast does something bad happen to people exposed to those things? _What_ does it do?"

Hikari took deep breaths with her palms over her face until she could manage to speak. "It's… what happens… is… madness."

Miyako blinked. "Madness?"

Hikari nodded slightly. "Pain… a-and… they become… a part of it… screaming the entire ti…" The rancid taste of bile stopped her from continuing, warning her that saying anything more would make her throw up.

Miyako frowned, not satisfied with that answer. "So, okay, did you ever see it cured in any of your dreams, or…?"

Hikari shuddered and shook her head once.

Takeru bristled as he fought hard to bite back the anger prickling inside of him. The fact that everyone insisted on changing the subject from what was actually important – the creature they fought and what the Digimon Kaiser was doing – and kept bringing the conversation back to his shoulder was really starting to rub salt in his already raw nerves. Even the mantra that he would have reacted the same as them if any one of them traded places with him was quickly losing to the dark, unpleasant feelings that flooded his body. It was as though there was a tiny whisper at the back of his mind that kept reminding him that their concern was more harping on his injury than actual worry – that they were pointing it out as if the gray patch on his skin was his fault and were rubbing his face in it. That idea alone made him clench his teeth until it was painful. As if he could have anticipated something falling out of a vent on top of him! "I said back off and I meant it."

"Stop it!" Mimi shouted, her voice cracking with emotion as tears welled in her eyes again. "Stop! I don't want to hear anymore arguing or think about those monsters anymore! I just want this day to be over!" She squeezed Palmon close to her chest, burying her face in her partner's petals. "No more monsters. No more… I can't take it anymore!"

Everyone stopped to turn and stare at the Chosen of Purity, her outburst and tears derailing the conversation completely.

"That's right, that's right!" Palmon said, clenching her fists together as she shook them in the air. Tears streamed down her own cheeks as well, but they did not diminish the fierce expression on her face. "No – more!"

Sora had been about ready to snap as well, but Mimi and Palmon had beaten her to the punch. She gave the two weeping Chosen a lingering look before she glanced around at the rest of her friends and offered a soft, reassuring smile. "I think Iori and Mimi are right – we should leave it at this for now, and go rest. We've all had a very… very long day. It's not going to do us any good to keep going like this when everyone's so clearly tired."

Miyako sighed as she rubbed the tension that had crept into her temples. "Point taken. I guess it _is_ too much to ask if a dream can give us all the answers. Sorry for dragging things out so long."

Takeru did not look at Sora, or anyone for that matter. He still felt as though everyone was staring at him, even when no one was anymore. Their accusing eyes had left a lingering stain on him, and he was too tired to deal with it. Without waiting for a response, he proceeded towards the door. "Let's go, Patamon."

"Takeru?" Yamato whirled about to stare at his little brother in alarm. "Wait, where are you–_?_!"

"I'm done," Takeru said, his voice as frigid as an arctic breeze. "I'm tired and I'm leaving. You're all free to talk about me while I'm gone, since obviously none of you care about my input."

Patamon looked to the others, his expression filled with worry. He felt he should say something, but when words failed him, he darted after Takeru when he saw the Chosen of Hope had already reached the front door.

Taichi ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Yeah, I think this conversation has dragged on way, way too long and everyone is stressed." He noticed the troubled expression on Yamato's face and clasped his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry. He'll probably feel better in the morning."

Yamato looked away from Takeru's retreating back so that he could look at Taichi, smiling weakly. Wordlessly, he followed his little brother, stopping only to put his shoes on before he disappeared out the door, closing it behind him.

Sora let out a heavy sigh before she turned to Mimi. "Let's go back, okay? I don't think it's safe to take you back to America just yet."

Mimi let out a quiet sniffle. "I… I want to go home… I miss Mama and Papa… and… and…" She choked on a sob as Sora wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She leaned against her friend as she allowed herself to be led from the apartment.

Iori watched as Sora escorted Mimi away before he turned to Miyako. He was silent for a long moment he offered her a small, wry smile. "At some point, I'll want an explanation, but I'll allow it to wait for now. Shall we go?"

Miyako straightened up. "That's no problem. I can still talk about it if you're up for it. We'll just stop by my house and give you the Chosen Child Introductory Kit we cooked up online."

Daisuke blinked repeatedly. "Chosen Child _what_? There's a _kit_ for this? Why didn't I get it?"

Miyako gave Daisuke a sideways glance. "Because you don't need it anymore, obviously. In fact, you're the reason why the 'pit crew' online thought it'd be a good idea, since you got thrown in blind without any idea what to do and not much time to stop and explain it and that puts everyone at risk."

Daisuke's curiosity evaporated in an instant, replaced with irritation. "Hey! V-mon and me helped a lot the first time we went up against Tiny Tower! And besides, Hida didn't know either and _you_ dragged him in."

"I knew Iori could adapt quickly," Miyako said. "Besides, right now the kit isn't much more than a text file with some basic information and a D-Terminal, and we haven't even finished all the important stuff we wanted to put in the file. It's not easy to summarize everything someone needs to know about the Digital World you know."

A displeased sound rumbled in Daisuke's throat as he eyed Miyako critically. "If Hida gets to see it, I should too."

"Sure, whatever," Miyako said, her voice deadpan, as she marched towards the door. Iori was already waiting for her with his shoes on, holding the door open for her. "I'll send you a copy to your D-Terminal when I get home, Motomiya." She shoved her feet into her shoes then looked over her shoulder. "Oh, and could you stop shooting me those death glares and trying to pick a fight with me all the time? I'm sick of it."

Daisuke jerked back as though struck. "_Me_? _You're_ the one who's been acting all high and mighty and–"

The sound of the slamming door cut off the rest of Daisuke's protest, as Miyako left without looking back.

Chibimon scowled, glaring at the spot where Miyako had stood before he hurried over to Daisuke's leg, grasping it tightly. "It's okay, Daisuke. What would she know about the Digital World, anyway? Besides, she had that 'kit' and still lost her partner!"

"Yeah," Daisuke muttered before he scooped up Chibimon. "She acts like she's hot stuff, but _she's_ the one who got kidnapped."

Taichi frowned in displeasure. "Oh yeah, that's right. Now we've got _another_ partner caught by the Digimon Kaiser. We're going to need to find Iori's egg right away before he snags it too." He turned to Koshiro, noticing that the other boy was typing at his laptop. "What's up, Koshiro?"

"I'm sending an email to Jijimon," Koshiro said without looking up. "I want to see if he knows anything about the monsters, the mark it left on Takeru, and if he knows what happened to Gennai."

"Good idea," Taichi said, smiling a little. He turned to Hikari. "Come on, we should…" He stopped as he noticed the flush of red staining her fair cheeks, which were even more pale than usual. The way she leaned back against the chair hinted at a limpness or heaviness about her that showed too in the way her head bobbed low, her gaze heavy lidded and distant, not really focused on anything. "Hey, are you okay?"

There was a beat of silence, only a second, before Hikari seemed to snap out of her stupor. "I'm fine. It's just been a very long day."

Taichi was not convinced. Over the years, he had learned to pay attention to subtle details when it came to Hikari. Though he was still struggling to notice as much as he wanted to, he caught how his sister sat straighter when he caught her attention, and though she was smiling, there was a slight strain to it. It made him anxious. "Come on, we should get you home."

Daisuke was at Hikari's side in an instant, his expression heavy with remorse. "Sorry I didn't stop Inoe keep going after you like that sooner. Especially after all the crap _we_ had to deal with all day."

Hikari shook her head. "It's fine. I'm worried about Takeru too. I should probably take her advice and start keeping a dream journal."

"Hey, I've got a better idea!" Daisuke said, his eyes lighting up. "After you have a dream, you can send an email! It works out better that way because if it's a really bad dream, you can talk to someone. You can go ahead and send me an email any time day or not. Heck, if you want to talk over the phone, just let me know in an email and we can talk all you want!"

Hikari let out a small laugh that failed to sound convincing. "Thanks, Daisuke, but I don't think a phone call would be a good idea after last time…"

A dark expression crossed Daisuke's features. "Oh. Right. The noodle incident."

Taichi raised an eyebrow. "Noodle incident?"

Daisuke forced a laugh and did his best to act cheerful as he waved the thought away. "It's nothing, Senpai. Nothing at all!" He laughed a bit more as he backed away towards the front door quickly. "Well… you two have a good night! I'll see you tomorrow, Hikari-chan! Bye!"

"Bai bai, Hikari-chan~!" Chibimon said cheerfully as he waved to Hikari and bounded after Daisuke.

Tailmon was quiet as she watched her partner intently, her expression unreadable. She approached Hikari and glanced up at the Chosen of Light, wordlessly. Her expression alone said everything she needed to.

Hikari met Tailmon's gaze for only the briefest of instants before she had to look away. "I'm tired. Let's go home."

"Right," Taichi said as he helped his sister to her feet then led her to the door. "How about we take it easy for a couple of days while we figure out what we're going to do next, okay?"

Hikari let out a hum of affirmation.

Once the trio was gone, Koshiro looked up from his laptop towards Jou, his brow furrowed with concern. "Hey, Jou, could you do me a favor? I know what's wrong with Takeru's shoulder isn't exactly natural, but could you look up stuff about skin discoloration causes and health risks?"

Jou jerked, looking up sharply. He practically dropped his Digivice, startled out of his thoughts. He had been standing by stupidly, staring at the device as though it might somehow give him any answers as to what he should be doing right now. Naturally, it had remained silent and the Chosen of Honesty had all but missed the conversation, until Koshiro brought him back to reality. "I-I… yes, of course! I'll… I'll look in to it and ask my brother too, so…"

Koshiro tilted his head slightly. "Hey, are you okay?"

Jou hesitated before he let out an awkward laugh, reaching up to touch the back of his head. He could not help but note the irony – Koshiro had been the one to face an unspeakable monster tonight, but he was completely calm. Jou, on the other hand, felt like total wreck. A small, bitter part of Jou was only too eager to point out that Koshiro at least had Tentomon, but he shoved that thought aside with a shake of his head. "I-I'm fine, just fine. …Y-you? Everyone else seems badly shaken…"

Koshiro leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath before letting out slowly. "Let's just say I doubt I'll be getting any sleep tonight." He shivered when he thought of the monsters the Digimon Kaiser unleashed and fought to resist the urge to hug himself. "I… I'm trying to think of them as just personification of glitched programs or something like that. I mean, it's most likely what they are anyway… but if that's the case, then maybe if they touch you they corrupt your programming… or maybe defragment you like a computer… and that worries me because we're flesh and blood, not data."

Jou was quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed on his feet. "We become data when we enter the Digital World, and then turn back in to flesh and blood when we leave…" While the Chosen Children had certainly been roughed up during their adventures, he failed to remember anyone ever suffering a serious injury such as a broken arm or even a deep cut. They had miraculously avoided grievous harm, despite so many enemies' best efforts. Unfortunately, it meant that he had no frame of reference for what happened to such injuries when they transferred to and from the Digital World.

Koshiro nodded, his expression grim. "Right. Which means that what happened to Takeru might mean a real serious medical condition here in the real world." He sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Honestly, I'm wondering whether or not we need to send him to a hospital, or if they can even help. This is way out of my league."

Jou felt a chill run down his spine. The very idea was frightening, on many different levels. There was not just the concern for Takeru's well-being – the Digital World complicated things exponentially. They would have no way of explaining the injury to the doctors, and chances were that the doctors would not even be able to do anything about it. "W-what will we do i-if it comes to that…_?_!"

"I don't know," Koshiro said, his voice soft. "There might not be anything we _can_ do… All we can do is just try and find out what that mark is, and what it might be doing to Takeru."

Jou grimaced as he brushed away some sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The pressure of being the leader of the Chosen Children and the only one in the group with any medical knowledge was suffocating, even more than he had anticipated. He was not simply dealing with a few cuts and bruises, which anyone could figure out how to treat. This was something else entirely, and downright terrifying. "I… I'll talk to my brother, and I'll do what I can…"

Koshiro gave his friend a wan smile. "Thanks. I'll do the same."

Jou nodded before he quickly scooped up his belongings. He hurried towards the exit, practically stumbling on the carpet in his haste before he caught himself at the doorway, and threw Koshiro a sheepish smile as he bid his friend goodnight.

The closing of the door seemed loud in the suddenly very empty apartment. Tentomon turned to Koshiro, his fidgeting betraying his nervousness despite the lack of any expression on his face. "Koshiro, what will we do if Jijimon doesn't know?"

Koshiro closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. "If that happens… then the only one who might have the answer would be the Digimon Kaiser himself."

Tentomon went quiet for a long while before he finally responded in a quiet voice. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Me too, Tentomon," Koshiro murmured. "Me too."

* * *

><p>Iori and Miyako's trip back to their apartment complex seemed to stretch at least ten times as long as usual, mostly due to the weighty silence hanging between them. Neither felt in the mood for talking, leaving them with little more than their own thoughts to occupy them - thoughts made both Chosen Children immensely uncomfortable.<p>

Iori alternated his grip on his bokken, holding it tightly until his hands grew sore, then loosening his hold to get the circulation back into his fingers, only for some errant, unnerving thought about the day's earlier encounters to enter his head and make him tense up again. His body was rigid with tension, and he fixed his gaze straight ahead, only vaguely registering the familiar path that took them back home. Memories of the mission replayed themselves in an endless loop inside his head. He felt lost, overwhelmed. He vowed to wait patiently for a proper explanation for what had happened to him, but it was difficult not to question the disturbing things he saw in that other world. If he had any doubts that he had left Earth, they had left him at the sight of that abomination with countless heads and limbs.

What in the world had Miyako gotten them both into?

Iori tried to focus on the aspects of what happened that he mostly had a handle on. _That 'knight' Digimon…_ His brow furrowed as he thought back to the bizarre spherical creature known as Gladimon. While he had managed to fend off Gladimon attacks with an ease that surprised even him, there was a lingering question weighing on his mind that wondered if he was truly satisfied with his current abilities. He had won kendo tournaments in the past, but those were all human opponents, not strange monsters that lurked on an alien world. There was nothing in this world that oozed and screamed and transformed into giants that shredded metal like paper.

The answer was painfully clear to Iori – if he was going to protect Miyako and the other Chosen Children from these inhuman threats, he needed to train more. He would have to rebuild his training regime completely from scratch and figure out a better way to combat these new otherworldly opponents. There was vast difference between training to fight a human with a weapon and trying to put down a terrifying creature. The day would become a frame of reference for him to work with, allowing him to incorporate those experiences in to his training. The fact that wood could stand up against sharpened metal was enough to turn everything he had already known completely on its head

Iori nodded to himself, taking some satisfaction in his decision. He glanced over at Miyako, wanting to share his thoughts with her when he noticed the tension in her expression. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, but did not notice anything as she moved rigidly with each step. She seemed completely absorbed in her own thoughts, muttering to herself so quietly that he could not make out whatever she was saying. His gaze lingered on her as they neared the apartment complex, and he eventually decided that he needed to speak up. "Miyako, are you all right?"

Miyako jerked at the sudden sound of Iori's voice, her expression panicked for a brief instant before she composed herself. "I'm fine. Just fine." She paused a moment to compose herself. "Anyway, Mom and Dad are out on a date tonight, same with Chizuru and her boyfriend, and Mantarou will be managing the swing shift while Momoe is probably going to sleep until just before it's her turn to take over, like usual, so we've got until 11:30 or so to talk Digimon. Plenty of time."

Iori allowed Miyako's chatter wash over him as he focused more on her body language and the inflection in her voice. It told him enough about what she was really thinking. "We don't need to discuss Digimon tonight. I can wait, at least until tomorrow when everyone has had a chance to rest." He made certain to keep his comment indirect, so that it did not sound directed at Miyako, even though it most certainly was.

"Yeah, okay, sure," Miyako said without looking at Iori. "That gives me some time to add more info to the file you might need. I'll just email it to you tonight. I've got to forward the info to Motomiya too anyway." She sighed. "I swear, what the heck is _up_ with him? It's like every time I said something, he was ready to go after me. Heck, I didn't even need to _say_ anything. I just had to wear that stupid outfit!"

The instant the words left her mouth, Miyako remembered the merciless taunts from the Digimon Kaiser and she felt herself bristling all over again. "Like _Hell_ I'd willingly want to wear something as humiliating as that," she muttered under her breath.

"Hm?" Iori tilted his head as he glanced over to Miyako. "What was that?"

Miyako clasped her hands together loudly to distract Iori. "Well! I'm not going to let him get me down. I'm not going to rise to his bait again."

Iori blinked and stared at Miyako in confusion, before he schooled his expression to something more neutral. He could tell that the subject was not something Miyako wanted to talk about, and given everything that had happened, he was not going to pry. There was a time and a place for everything, and now was not that time. "I'll walk you to your door, and then we can talk tomorrow after school."

Miyako nodded then cocked her head in Iori's direction. "But really quick first… How are you holding up after all that craziness? You kinda got flung into a huge mess because of me, and, well…" She trailed off on an awkward note as she focused instead on heading to the elevator once they reached the outdoor hallway of the apartment complex.

"I…" Iori faltered briefly at the question, uncertain of how to respond at first. "…Do not worry about me." He offered Miyako a sly, playful smile. "I am used to… crazy shenanigans when you are involved."

Miyako laughed, though it did not have as much humor in it as she would have liked, and she pushed the call button for the elevator. "Oh come on, my shenanigans are far from crazy. They're well thought out and well planned shenanigans. Get it right." She cocked a crooked smile in Iori's direction.

"Yes, of course," Iori said, with a chuckle. "I apologize. Your shenanigans are nothing if not properly orchestrated."

"I'm glad you see things my way," Miyako said.

The sound of a chime put the conversation on hold as the elevator doors opened, revealing an old woman in a cardigan and a young man in headphones bobbing his head to obnoxiously loud music. The Chosen Children waited until their neighbors left the elevator before hurrying inside and pressing the button to their floor.

For a number of long seconds, there was only the quiet hum of the elevator traveling upward. When the doors opened again, words blurted themselves out of Miyako before she could stop them. "Do you think he's okay?"

Iori started at the unexpected question, stopping mid-step before turning his attention back to Miyako. "Who?"

Miyako sighed, but did not answer she was outside the elevator. "My partner," she said in a voice so quiet that Iori nearly did not hear her.

The elevator doors nearly closed on Iori before he hurried after the class representative. He found himself at a loss as he was again forced to try and understand exactly what had happened to them earlier. The only thing he was certain of was that Miyako had a strange creature, a Digimon she said, much like those other children, including his classmates. While he was still wrapping his brain around the concept of befriending creatures from another world, he knew that his friend felt whatever was inside the egg was important to Miyako.

They were nearly at the Inoe apartment when Iori spoke up again. "While I don't trust that boy at all, he seemed to avoid bringing any harm to you. Moreover, he provided me with a light against my wishes that kept the creatures away. That alone… makes me believe that he will not harm your egg." He understood that there was a good chance that he was wrong about that strange boy with the two-tone hair and weird outfit, but he saw no point in voicing his pessimism when Miyako was in no mood to hear it.

Miyako let out a quiet rumble in her throat, but said nothing until they reached her apartment. She fished out her keys and fumbled with them. It troubled Iori to notice that she passed over the key to the front door three times before she finally used it. "Yeah, well, I hope you're right."

"I won't pretend that I understand what's happening or who that boy was," Iori said. "The fact that he'd do something so hostile as to kidnap you and unleash monsters, then turn around and provide protection to those he feels can't handle said monsters… I don't think anyone can understand him. But I believe that if he had wanted to harm your egg, he would have done so in front of you."

Miyako failed to suppress a flinch, her hand frozen mid-turn on the doorknob, as those words conjured terrible images in her head.

Iori immediately realized he had made a mistake, and a second later, he understood why. He silently chastised himself for inadvertently reminding Miyako of how helpless she had been as the Digimon Kaiser's captive, though he was not sure how to smooth it over. The fact that she had been taken hostage at all when he was looking after her still twisted in his gut and made the hand clutching his bokken tighten ever so slightly. "As I said… I believe that alone means your egg is safe."

Miyako straightened her spine and nodded. "Yeah, right. If that brat didn't wreck one of his bargaining chips to humiliate me, then he'll hold off on doing anything while I'm not there to watch. We just have to outwit that halfwit." She opened the door before looking back at her friend. "Well… good night, Iori."

"Goodnight, Miyako," Iori said with a smile he hoped was reassuring. "Please take the time to rest."

Miyako returned the smile with one of her own, though it was only half as convincing as Iori's. "You too."

Iori nodded before he turned and proceeded to leave, walking away to his own apartment as Miyako closed the door behind him.

The second Miyako was inside, she automatically slipped into the motions of her typical evening routine. She triple-checked that the door was locked, exchanged her shoes for slippers, moved the dirty dishes from dinner into the dishwasher before turning it on, and threw away the empty wrappers and takeout boxes leftover from the day's meals. She shook her head at the dust bunnies resting near the walls in the hallway and left a sticky note on the microwave to remind Momoe to vacuum before their parents got home – not that she expected it to be read. Knowing her sister, Momoe would likely not notice that the note was there even while waiting for the microwave to heat up one of the many premade box lunches that sat in the fridge.

This was nothing new to Miyako. She suspected Momoe was betting that their mother and father would be too distracted by the pile of unwashed laundry Chizuru had forgotten to do before rushing out to party. A quick check of the dryer showed the Chosen Child that her school uniform had been sitting there since she had put it through the wash herself when she got home. It was a good thing she threw in the aprons from their store as well. All of the clothes were wrinkled from spending hours crumpled up in the dryer, but she had learned how to be quick with an iron by this point. She hung one of the aprons on Momoe's doorknob, paused for a moment, then put the sticky note on it, before putting the rest of the aprons and her uniform away.

Miyako muttered to herself as she took a brisk bath, going over tomorrow's schedule, plotted the most succinct way of summarizing the Digital World for Iori and Daisuke, and reviewed information for the upcoming quiz. She was still covered in steam as she put on her pajamas, then used the dryer on her hair while typing up an email for her fellow new Chosen Children. When everything was her satisfaction, she sent the email, which left her with nothing left to do but sleep.

Miyako leaned back in her chair, the springs groaning in protest. The towel slipped from her hair and hung precariously from her shoulders as she angled her head back so that her gaze traveled towards the ceiling. Without her glasses, everything was blurry, but she was certain her room looked exactly the same as it always did – as neat, clean, and pristine as a fancy hotel room, with only the most tasteful decorations that her parents and any gossiping adult neighbor would approve of.

The only thing that anyone could arguably disapprove of was her computer setup, and Miyako gave her parents a report over ten pages long, complete with citations, to dispel any doubts that the computer would in any way label her a nerd or otaku and thus diminish her chance of catching a man to marry her. Getting contact lenses to make her seem less intellectual sealed the deal, although fortunately – or unfortunately depending on one's perspective – the contact lenses made her eyes itch badly and turn red, damaging her appearance far more than glasses ever did, so her parents stopped pestering her about remembering to wear them. It was just as well, as her original plan to get rid of the blasted things might have resulted in a broken garbage disposal.

Miyako had to admit that the computer she created had been worth two months of itchy and watery eyes. The computer took up nearly half a wall, with four monitors, multiple hard drives, and all of it custom made to be faster than anything she could buy in a store. The programming and operating system came from Koshiro and the rest of her online friends, which made it practically immune to every form of virus on the internet. This computer was her pride and joy, her finest achievement, or rather second finest, as fixing Guardromon took up the top slot now. There was little in the real world that could trump saving the life of an entirely artificial electronic-based life form.

A few clicks of the mouse brought Miyako to her archive of video files. Dozens upon dozens of folders filled with bootleg copies of her favorite shows too risky to buy DVDs for were sitting there, waiting for her to watch them. She clicked on one of her favorites without thinking, but the first few notes of _Moonlight Legend_ made her twitch, and she immediately shut off the video.

Miyako pushed away from her computer, uncaring that she knocked her towel to the floor, and began to pace a circle around the room. Everything was in place, her bed still made, the floor vacuumed, furniture dusted, school bag loaded, and her uniform hung in its place on the wall waiting for tomorrow. On the fifth rotation around her room, she considered doing Momoe's vacuuming. On the eighth, she nearly tripped over her towel and kicked it aside before deciding that she would just wake up her sister prematurely so Momoe would actually get it done without her having to do the work – again. The thirteenth rotation was disrupted midway as a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye brought her to a complete halt. A quickened heartbeat later, she realized that she had accidentally brushed up against her uniform, causing it to sway just enough to make her think, for just an instant, that someone had entered her room without opening her door. She stared at the uniform for nearly half a minute before continuing, but she kept looking back at her neatly pressed clothes through the next six laps around the room. She finally returned to her computer after the twenty-fourth rotation and switched over to her music folder to load Carl Orff's _Carmina Burana_ before turning the volume up to max.

Miyako dropped heavily onto her bed and put her pillow in her lap. She fixed her gaze on the far wall without seeing it and waited as the music slowly began to build. When the gong started crashing and the singers' voices boomed through her room, she covered her face with the pillow and used it to muffle her scream.

* * *

><p>Yamato sighed as he closed the door to his apartment behind him. He made a halfhearted attempt to remove his shoes before he leaned back heavily against the door, closing his eyes as weariness washed over him. He knew he had to start making dinner, but he lacked the motivation to move from that spot for the moment.<p>

Yamato had walked Takeru home, although 'walked' was a bit optimistic a way to put it. He followed Takeru, who kept doggedly trying to outpace him until the two were just short of running. Every attempt he made to strike up a conversation and alleviate the fear and tension he felt between them only served to aggravate the situation. His younger brother had actually actively ignored him the entire way to the apartment complex where Takeru lived, giving him the cold shoulder rather than acknowledge his presence at all. They parted at the elevator when he had been ready to go back home with Takeru if that was what it took, only for his younger brother's piercing glare to stop him.

"I don't want to talk right now," Takeru had said, the first words he gave to Yamato since leaving Koshiro's apartment. "I'll call you when I do."

Yamato had been stunned by the look and tone more than the actual words. The doors to the elevators closed before he could recover and he lingered a moment more, racked with indecision, before he dejectedly made his way home. The uncharacteristically antagonistic behavior Takeru exhibited towards him disturbed him almost as much as the mysterious injury on his little brother's shoulder. He barely registered the trip back home until he was already outside his apartment door, mechanically fishing out his keys.

It was not just fatigue that caused this strange attitude in Takeru, Yamato was certain of it. Something had happened in Factory Town that had must have shaken Takeru badly. Perhaps it was the injury or the monsters or something else that went unsaid, Yamato could not be sure, but he knew that this was something he could not dismiss. This cold, easily agitated Takeru was almost a different person from the patient and easygoing little brother Yamato knew and loved. Unfortunately, Yamato had no idea what to do to fix whatever was wrong.

"He had been upset before," Yamato muttered to an empty home. He recalled how odd Takeru had acted at the start of the mission, acting rather annoyed while pretending that nothing was amiss. He knew enough about his little brother's behavior to notice when Takeru was trying to hide something from him. "Does that have something to do with it…? Did something happen?"

More than anything, Yamato wanted to know what the away team had seen in Factory Town when communications had been severed. A sudden surge of purpose sent him to the phone, kicking off his shoes as he went. Takeru was close to Hikari – if anyone knew what might be going on, it would be her.

The phone rang over half a dozen times before someone picked up. "Yo, Yagami residence," Taichi said in a weary voice.

"Taichi!" Yamato said, as he straightened up, relieved that he had gotten through to someone. "It's Yamato. I just got back."

"This late?" Taichi turned his gaze to the clock on the wall to double-check the time, frowning when he noted that it was half past ten. He was dressed in a pair of soft flannel pajamas with a towel wrapped around his shoulders to keep his damp hair from soaking his clothes, his body still flushed from the heat of his recent bath. "Did something happen?"

"I walked Takeru home," Yamato said before pausing to let out a humorless chuckle. "It seemed to piss him off, though."

Taichi frowned. "Is he okay? I'm kinda worried. He's never snapped like that before."

"Something's definitely wrong," Yamato said, his voice low. "but he doesn't want to talk about it." He let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the wall. "I don't know what he saw after we got shut out, but I don't understand how anything could've affected him like this." He paused as a strange idea struck him. "Unless it's that mark on his shoulder, but even then, how the hell could it do this?"

Taichi ran his hand through his damp hair and pressed his back against the wall, unknowingly mirroring Yamato's posture. "Who knows how anything in the Digital World works, man? For all we know, that mark was some kinda, I don't know, parasite or something that's taken over Takeru's mind." He paused when the full weight of his words sunk in and he gave himself a fierce mental kick. "Er, sorry. That's probably not something you want to hear right now, huh?"

"Not really, no," Yamato said dryly, forcing out an awkward chuckle. A moment later, he closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "I guess all we can do is wait to see if Jijimon knows anything." He looked straight ahead without seeing the wall in front of him, as an awkward silence passed between them before he spoke again. "Did… did Hikari say anything? Like, about what they saw?"

Taichi sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with the towel. "Nope, but that was because she was too busy getting sick on the way home."

Yamato's eyebrows shot up as he jerked ramrod straight. "Hikari got sick?"

Taichi grimaced. "First in the bushes, and then all over me when I was giving her a piggyback ride home." He rubbed his neck again. "I tell ya… you don't know gross until you have to stand around for like an hour with puke in your hair _and_ your shirt, but I had to wait until Mom and Tailmon got Hikari cleaned up first, you know?"

Yamato cringed at the unpleasant imagery. "Yeah, I hear you. I guess she always was prone to getting sick, and she's been through a lot of crap recently… we all have. We were probably lucky we lasted this long without her getting sick."

Taichi let out a frustrated breath. "Yeah… Plus I think she hasn't been getting much sleep lately. She tries to hide it and act like nothing's wrong, but…" He ran his hand over his face, trying to smooth out the tension creeping underneath his skin without success. "You know, it'd be nice if the doctors could, I don't know, _fix_ this. Make it so she stops getting sick so much and risk it getting all serious, and stop saying stuff like Mom doesn't feed her right or take care of her, and can you believe the last one said it's because she's _fat_? She barely weighs anything as it is, and they're telling her to her face that she's fat and that if she doesn't lose weight she'll keep getting sick and it'll be all her fault! Who the _Hell_ did that guy think he is_?_!" He slammed his fist against the wall, ignoring the pain that flared in his knuckles.

Anger swelled within Yamato's breast, burning bright hot for both Taichi and Hikari. This was not the first time the Chosen of Courage had confided in him about how frustrating doctors could be. "It's because he's too stupid to figure it out, so clearly it's your fault." He paused for a moment to reign in his bitterness and tried to release with his next weighty breath. "I can't even begin to imagine what garbage they'd say about Takeru's shoulder."

"They'd probably think it's a tattoo and he's part of the yakuza or that they're being pranked with paint," Taichi grumbled. "I doubt they'd have the first idea what to do about it anyway."

"Yeah," Yamato muttered. "So taking him to the doctor or a hospital would just be a total waste of time. If they can't do anything for Hikari, they'll be even more useless here."

Taichi ran his fingers through his hair. "At least the doctors can give medicine that helps her feel better. We still had some of those tablets that stop nausea leftover from that time two months ago where she couldn't stop throwing up, and those helped her from getting sick a third time tonight." He looked down the hall in the direction of his sister's room. "Tailmon is keeping an eye on her and says she'll let us know if Hikari gets worse, and Mom thinks she should just rest up for a few days, so we'll wait and see how she's doing. Hikari says it's not that bad and none of us should worry, but you know how she is about that stuff."

"Yeah," Yamato said, shifting his position slightly as he remembered uncomfortably the last time Hikari got sick when Digimon were involved. "I think everyone should take a few days off while we wait for Jijimon. And even then… I think Hikari should sit that trip out, assuming he can even help us."

Taichi let out an affirmative sounding grunt. "Man… I wish Agumon was here… I wish all our friends were back, and, heck, I wish Ryo and the rest of the other Chosen Children and their partners would show up already! With 15 of us, we can just be like a sport team and rotate out who goes in while the others rest up for the next mission or whatever."

Yamato nodded, not that Taichi could see it. "Right. We'd be sharing the burden, so it'd be easier for everyone. As it is, all the stress is on those who can actually fight and… I think it's really starting to affect them."

"Yeah," Taichi said softly. "Hikari, Takeru… Mimi has always been sensitive so she's probably really feeling it right now. Koshiro and Daisuke seem to be doing okay at least… and I'm not sure how Iori and Miyako are going to deal with all this."

Yamato hummed thoughtfully as he thought of the newest members to their team. "While I'm glad we're finding more Chosen, this is probably the worst time to be new at this." He narrowed his eyes as he felt his anger start to flare. "That bastard's got a lot of nerve, doing this crap."

"Maybe we should try figuring out how to train them," Taichi said. "You know, _outside_ the Digital World where that brat can't pull something on us. Tailmon has been doing that for a while now. Agumon did some sparring with her sometimes whenever we could find an empty spot for it, and I think Patamon did too."

"Yeah, might be a good idea," Yamato said, then shifted his weight to his other foot. "Y'know, speaking of Ryo… did you see how that kid reacted to Hikari mentioning him, and the other one? Keiko?"

Taichi's brow furrowed. "Yeah. It sounded like he knew them. And what did he mean by 'you're nothing like her' when he was yelling at Hikari?"

Yamato slowly shook his head. "I don't have a clue, but this makes me think we need to try harder to find Ryo. I'm willing to bet that neither of them know what he's up to, and we're going to need them to bring his power-tripping ass back to Earth. At the very least, he'll have to explain himself to them."

Taichi rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, but how do we even find them? Do we just start looking up Akiyamas in the phone book and call around? We don't even know even anything about Keiko except apparently Hikari reminds the Kaiser enough of her that he's yelling denials in her face about it."

"I think that's all we can do right now," Yamato said. "I mean, at least we have a last name to go on. It'd take a while, but what choice do we have?"

Taichi sighed. "Well, at least it's better than what we have on the Digimon Kaiser himself. We don't even have a _first_ name for that guy." He flexed his fingers before curling them into a fist. "I tell ya… if I knew who that brat really was on this side, I'd teach him a lesson about playing with lives like a game!"

"No kidding," Yamato said, the words coming out in a low growl. "And I'd be there giving you a hand – and a fist." He unclenched his hands when a sudden thought struck him. "Wait." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Jijimon… seemed to know the kid. At the very least, the kid knew Jijimon. Do you think he'd be able to give us a name?"

"What?" Taichi jerked before the memory came to him. "Wait, back when we saved Tentomon… You're right! The Digimon Kaiser acted really weird around Jijimon, almost like he lost the nerve to fight or something!"

"Right," Yamato said as his expression darkened at the memory. "When he was torturing Palmon." His chest tightened with guilt, but he forced himself to ignore it. "Jijimon stepped in and suddenly the Kaiser wasn't acting so big."

Taichi frowned. "Wait, if Jijimon can intimidate the Digimon Kaiser, then why isn't he trying to fight the Kaiser like we are? Sure he's helping us and that's great, but isn't he a high level Digimon? I thought Koshiro said he thought Jijimon was an Ultimate or something. Can't he fight too?"

Yamato let out a displeased hum. "That's a good question. It looks like we've got a lot to ask Jijimon."

"Yeah," Taichi said around a yawn as fatigue settled in despite his excitement and agitation. He rubbed his face, blinking a few times. "Let's talk about this more tomorrow. It's getting kind of late."

"Right, sorry," Yamato said with a sigh, then grinned sheepishly. "Tomorrow it is. It'll give Jijimon time to respond. And if he hasn't, well… after school, we can visit Centarumon. I'm sure he'll know where the old fart is."

"If we don't sniff him out first," Taichi said with a chuckle.

Yamato rolled his eyes. "That pun was awful," he said, though he had to fight to keep the amusement out of his voice. "Anyway, I'll see you at school. Just have Hikari rest, okay?"

"No worries there," Taichi said with a laugh. "If I know Tailmon, she's going to make sure Hikari stays in bed, whether Hikari likes it or not."

Yamato laughed along with Taichi. "Hah, sounds good to me!"

After Yamato and Taichi exchanged their goodbyes, silence settled in all at once, stripping the Chosen of Friendship of all mirth. He never realized how much he had grown to hate quiet since Gabumon left. He had taken for granted how he never had to return home to an empty apartment for over a year and a half. Now, when he wanted the comfort and distraction of another presence, there was no one.

Yamato shook his head. It was best not to think about it, or focus too much on Gabumon's stuff lying in his room, waiting for his partner's return. "When it rains, it pours, huh?"

Yamato cut himself off from speculating what Gabumon would say in response. He had survived this long by not thinking too much about his partner's absence. He kept his thoughts focused like a razor's edge, aiming his anger squarely at the Digimon Kaiser's head. Being depressed and brooding was not going to help anyone, and keeping himself occupied would ensure he stayed sane.

It had been a busy day, but Yamato doubted that he would be able to get any sleep at all.


	20. Chapter 19

Takeru could feel his body begging for sleep, exhaustion weighing down his muscles and making his eyes itch unpleasantly. Yet, for what seemed like hours, he found himself staring up at his ceiling without really seeing it. He stopped looking at his clock sometime after midnight, as each time he looked at the glowing numbers and saw the night steadily ticking away from him, he felt his frustration flare, making him more awake and aware of the unpleasant feelings churning in his chest. He could hear Patamon sleeping soundly by his head, against the pillow. The rhythmic, reassuring sound of his partner's breathing provided some comfort, but it did little to help his restless mind go quiet. A small voice whispering in the back of his mind simply refused to let him sleep.

When Takeru closed his eyes, he could see the events from earlier that day play in his head. The monsters plagued him with their shifting faces and screams, but in particular, the way Angemon's melting head begged him for help twisted his heart. Yet, that monster was not what plagued him the most. As horrific as the creature was, he could justify its existence as another monster to face. If he compared it to Apocalymon being a composite of all the Digimon that were unable to evolve, he could almost understand its existence. Perhaps the creature was the Digimon Kaiser's attempt to recreate Apocalymon. It would hardly surprise him given how unstable the tyrant was.

It was going to the world of darkness that haunted Takeru the most. If it had been just a world in shades of black and white, he would never have given it another thought, but that place was far more than that. He could not forget how _hopeless_ he felt in that world, how quickly it stripped him of his will to fight and left him listless, practically lifeless. He doubted that he could have mustered the strength to care if Digimon had been lying in wait to kill him in that world, and the thought utterly terrified him.

Such a lack of hope made Takeru feel as though he betrayed himself, and, worse than that, his very crest.

"That place…," Takeru murmured, keeping his voice quiet so as not to wake Patamon. "Where was that?"

No voice in the dark offered Takeru any answers or advice. There was only quiet grumble in his head that told him what no matter what it was, or what it had done to him, he had ultimately failed to meet its challenge, which could have gotten him, Patamon, or anyone else killed.

There was also the matter of that mysterious girl. Just thinking of her prompted Takeru to trace his cheek where she had slapped him. Although he had been in a stupor, he could now recall vividly the sharp sting that brought him back to his senses, as well as how cold her touch had been in that brief instant. None of that short encounter made any sense. Why was that girl there? Why were her clothes so similar to Hikari's? Why was she crying and why did his presence enrage her enough to attack him like that? Most importantly of all, how did her slap return him to Factory Town, or was it just a coincidence? Was the email a coincidence as well? The email was exactly like the one he received not long ago about how to use the Digimentals, right down to rendering his D-Terminal completely unusable.

Takeru shifted his gaze to the broken D-Terminal resting on his nightstand. Tomorrow he would go ask Koshiro to fix it, though he had no idea how he was going to explain what happened to it. "Was that her, too?" he whispered. His instincts told him that it must have been. The timing was too coincidental, as the email directly referenced his visit to the strange world, though he had to wonder why she chose to send such a strange type of message that would completely ruin the device that received it. "Just who _is_ she…?"

Takeru let out a frustrated breath. All the questions refused to give him any rest and he was no closer to answering any of them. He flicked his D-Terminal open, as though its black screen might have some hint, some clue the girl left behind for him to find to solve the mystery. The device was as dead as it had been after the email she sent, offering him nothing. He intended to show the D-Terminal to Koshiro when they got back, but he had completely forgotten it in all the chaos involving the giant monster and the subsequent confrontation with his brother and the others. It was only after the flames of his temper had died down to glinting embers that he remembered.

That was another thing that troubled Takeru – how quickly he lost his temper with Yamato.

Takeru made it a point to keep his patience, to try and not lose his cool. He had learned the folly of childish temper tantrums a long time ago. He was pretty proud of his maturity, how long he could suppress his anger even in the face of terrible people and keep a level head. Even in the face of the two gossiping boys making awful insinuations about Hikari, he managed to keep his calm for a good long while, probably longer than he needed to. Losing his temper in that situation was inevitable, and even Patamon had snapped. However, that situation was a far cry from the way he went off on his brother and friends. What he did was inexcusable. Even if they were being pushy, they were just concerned for his well-being. Did he really have any right to get so angry?

_They were calling me a liar._

The errant thought stopped Takeru dead. "A liar..?" The word hung in the air on an awkward note, as a small voice inside him insisted it was true, even as part of him warred against it.

_Concern is all well and good, but after I told them I was fine, they should have backed off._

The thought played in Takeru's head in a loop, bringing him back to the earlier conversation. It stretched out far too long, especially after such a traumatic event. Anger twisted his gut as he recalled how distressed Hikari looked while suffering under Miyako's relentless interrogation, all for the sake of a dumb splotch of gray. Thinking back on it now with a clearer head, he realized that she did not seem merely uncomfortable, but in pain. In all the worry over such a trivial injury, none of them noticed that something was wrong with Hikari, not even him. The idea that they could make him overlook something as important as that only rekindled the heat of his anger. The worst part was that he could not even send her an email until he got Koshiro to fix his D-Terminal.

"Yeah," Takeru he muttered, bitterness creeping into his voice. "They weren't listening to me. If they would have just listened, then…"

_They were listening, they just didn't care. They' 'knew' that I was hurt and wanted to keep rubbing it in my face._

Takeru stared at the wall for a long time as the notion burrowed itself into his brain and took root. When he closed his eyes, he saw Yamato lunging at him again to practically tear off his shirt despite his wishes, and he relived the anger and mortification, only now it felt more pronounced. Yamato tended to act recklessly, especially when it came to his little brother, no matter what Takeru said. The idea of Takeru being injured was too much for Yamato to handle – it always was.

_He doesn't trust me. He's never trusted me. Rather, he's never trusted that I've ever been capable of anything._

Takeru's eyes snapped open and he immediately sat up, nausea churning his stomach like a storm. He turned to focus on Patamon before he carefully slipped out of the bed, mindful not to wake the slumbering Digimon, and then walked lightly to the kitchen. Some milk might ease his upset stomach and help him sleep.

When Takeru opened the refrigerator door, a throb of pain resonate through his shoulder and he held the side of the cold milk carton against it as he hissed through his teeth. He scowled and moved the carton away a moment later when he thought of how Yamato would react after catching him like this.

_All my training… all my work… and for what? For everyone to turn on me the second I make even the tiniest mistake? Is their faith in me really that fragile? Or did they just never have any faith in me to begin with. Did this whole thing just confirm that I'm still that stupid little kid they need to watch out for?_

Takeru shook his head as though to dispel those thoughts before he went to fetch a glass. "I'm over-thinking this. I am… definitely over-thinking this. They were panicking, I was panicking… that's all."

_Just the same, I shouldn't mention what happened – don't mention that other world, don't mention that girl, don't mention a new email, nothing. They'd just take it as another excuse to freak out at me. Patamon probably won't mention it, so if I don't say anything then neither will he. I'll see if I can reboot the D-Terminal to get it going again, so I won't even have to let anyone know that it crashed._

The more the thought repeated itself in Takeru's head as he drank his milk, the more reasonable it became. "I guess that'd be best," he muttered into his empty glass. "I don't need to worry anyone else."

_I'll deal with this myself._

"I'll deal with this myself," Takeru said. "Either way, it's nothing to worry about." After putting the glass in the dishwasher, he winced as he closed it with more force than he intended. "It's just… more Digital World stuff."

A small part of Takeru still felt troubled as he rubbed his shoulder. He nearly pulled back his collar to take another look at it, but quickly squashed that impulse and the temptation to get medicine or an ice pack for the pain. He knew whatever this spot was, it was not 'gangrene' or anything ridiculous like that. If anything, it reminded him of what had happened in that other world, when his hands slowly turned to gray. The color came back when he returned, no harm done. He had no reason to believe that this would be any different.

Still, that nagging doubt refused to leave Takeru alone, no matter what that small voice in his head whispered against it. "If I start to feel any worse, I'll go to a doctor or something."

_As if a doctor could help me. It's ridiculous to even consider it. Even if this thing is dangerous – which it isn't – what exactly do they think they're going to do about it? Jou's medicine could only treat the symptoms, and that's it. Honestly, am I the only one who thinks about things at all, without getting all hysterical?_

Takeru paused and shook his head, dispelling such thoughts. Wordlessly, he went back to his room and silently slipped back into bed. It was late, he was exhausted, and it had been a very trying day – it was only natural that brooding about this would make his mood take a turn for the worse. Thinking too much about the situation was not going to accomplish anything. It would be better if he went to sleep and looked at the problem with fresh eyes in the morning when he was well rested and calm.

If only Takeru could get any sleep.

* * *

><p>Hikari was dreaming again. She was standing in the middle of an empty dirt road that cut between buildings made of wood and stone. She stood as the only spot of color in this monochrome world. The sky did not seem to have clouds, but instead a fine gray mist that grew steadily darker further and further from the ground until it was black. Looking at the sky from the horizon allowed her to see the gradual change from light to dark, but staring straight up showed her nothing but blackness. Although the light should have been muted or nonexistent, she could see her surroundings just fine.<p>

This place was the Dark World. Although Hikari had never heard anyone in her dreams call it that before, a part of her somehow felt certain that it fit. There was never any sun or stars – nothing to indicate if it was night, day, or something in-between. The sound of waves striking the shore in a steady rhythm came from all around her, giving her no hint as to where the ocean was located. The smell of something foul mixed with salt lingered in the air, which felt thick with moisture and clung to her skin like a slimy film.

The buildings that surrounded her were rustic, as though something she would find in a seaside village, but far less welcoming. They stood silent and empty, completely devoid of life. The many signs hanging outside the buildings gave the impression that there were businesses, hotels, and the like in this town once upon a time, save for one small detail. Every single sign had the same exact text written on them, no matter how cheerful or warped the font may have been painted.

Although Hikari had made it a point to learn the meaning of the glyphs used in the Digital World a long time ago, nothing on the signs made any sense. She would have been certain that it was nonsensical gibberish if not for the fact that every sign displayed the exact same phrase.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Huanglongmon ph'n'ghft wgah'nagl fhtagn.

Hikari knew that whatever the glyphs meant was something significant. One such sign hung from a streetlight with a blackened bulb beside her, the wooden placard worn from years of water and wind. She tried to read the words aloud, as she did many times in dreams that came before, but the lack of vowels made the phrase completely incomprehensible, and the mangled syllables never came out the same way twice. The only word that came close to making sense to her was Huanglongmon, but she had no idea if it was a real Digimon or just another jumble of gibberish that happened to have 'mon' at the end.

When it was clear that Hikari would not solve the mystery of the strange text this night, she looked behind her to locate another staple of her dream. Less than a meter away stood shadow that appeared nearly as solid as she was. Although she could not make out the shadow's face or other fine features, its size and shape made her think of Tailmon. The shadow followed her as she made her way down the street, as it always did in every dream she had in the Dark World, and always at the same distance away. The shadow would never come too close or lag behind, and she could never outrun or hide from it, though she tried many times before. At times, she braved approaching the feline shadow, but it backed away every time to keep that gap of empty space between them.

After weeks of dreaming with the shadow always her side, Hikari ultimately decided it was merely unnerving, but not truly frightening. Perhaps because of its company or the way it reminded her of Tailmon that made the shadow oddly comforting at times, particularly when compared to the other horrors lurking in the Dark World. Sometimes she would forget that it was even there if she tried not to look behind her.

Hikari had lost track of how many nights she spent wandering aimlessly through the Dark World. She had grown somewhat familiar with the empty buildings that made up the town, but she never failed to lose track of where she was whenever she wandered the streets. Landmarks always seemed to relocate to different areas the instant she lost sight of them. What she found inside the buildings would change as well, sometimes in small ways, and other times more dramatically.

A vivid example was a café that at one time was closed off to her because it had no doorknob. The first time Hikari entered, there was food wafting steam but no smell, and countless overturned chairs littering the floor. It was as though a crowd of Digimon had been ready to eat, only to flee moments before her arrival. The second time she came to the café, it was completely shambles, the inside decimated as though a hurricane had passed through, and two of the walls along with most of the ceiling were completely gone. Through the gaping hole, she could see the ocean and a trail of rubble leading along the shore to the water's edge. The last time she entered, the building was entirely intact, but run down from age and time. There were no traces of tables or food, just countless old newspapers covering almost every wall and floor. The only wall that was devoid of papers had large letters scrawled on it in a dark, thick fluid, spelling out the one phrase that haunted the Dark World.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Huanglongmon ph'n'ghft wgah'nagl fhtagn.

There would be no searching the café this time for Hikari. The doorknob was stuck in place and refused to open. A sense of relief washed over her at the discovery, as she dreaded what she would find inside this time. Unfortunately, the feeling was short lived, and she moved on to the next building, knowing that she needed to brave the unnerving nature of the town in order to find answers. Maybe then she would end this dream once and for all and finally leave the Dark World behind her forever.

More than once, Hikari had attempted to escape the town, but each time she always reached the ocean, no matter what way she turned. She would try to run straight in the opposite direction, only to get lost in the town. The sound of waves always haunted her, as clear and present as when she stood on the edge of the shore. Even when she dared to walk down to the bottom of a basement with over four dozen sets of stairs, the ocean seemed to follow her every step in the way.

The worst times were when the fog rolled in from the water. Things lurked in the fog – horrible, unspeakable things. The few times she saw Digimon in this world were when the fog came in, and it never ended well, no matter how hard she tried to save them from the abominations hunting them in the gray mist.

Hikari rubbed her arms as she made her way along the streets, but she could not banish the chill that slid through her skin and settled deep down in her bones. When she turned a corner and spotted the ocean in the distance, she turned in the opposite direction.

As frightening as the town was, the shore was far, far worse.

There was a particular landmark Hikari searched for in every dream. It was rare that she would ever find it, but she lucked out this time it would seem. The building was a fun house, or at least that was what she assumed it was. The faded images of smiling Digimon on the outside and decorative carvings in the worn and damaged wood gave her the impression that was what the building was originally used for. There was no door, just a yawning opening waiting for her to wander inside into the dark.

Of all the buildings in this monochrome town, the fun house was the only one Hikari failed to search every time she came to the Dark Ocean. It was not because of her fear of what might be inside – though the place did give her a sense of foreboding – it was something on the outside that always drew her attention until the moment she woke up. Beside the entrance was a large mirror with a warped surface that should have shown her distorted reflection, but it was never _her_ inside the mirror.

Hikari recalled that the first time she discovered the mirror was after the initial encounter with the Digimon Kaiser. When she passed in front of the fun house mirror, she stopped immediately when she notice the girl inside the bubbled, dirty glass that appeared so different from her. She initially mistook the girl as a distorted reflection of herself, wearing an outfit all in black that matched the one the Digital World gave her, save for a few minor details, such as replacing the Crest of Light accents with moons. The girl in the mirror even had a dark shadow of a cat following her, just like Hikari, only the shape was not quite right to match Tailmon. Other details about the girl were different as well, such as long black hair and skin even more pale than hers.

The girl in the mirror mimicked Hikari's every movement as perfectly as a real reflection whenever they encountered each other, up until the moment their red eyes met. In that instant, her expression would change, showing sorrow or anger. The first time it happened, Hikari jerked back with a scream and nearly ran away. Only the pain etched on the black haired girl's face kept the Chosen of Light frozen in place, watching as the girl in the mirror pounded on the glass, as though desperately trying to escape.

The girl in black was the only thing in the Dark World that still held any trace of color, even if it mostly came from her vibrant red eyes. That alone made Hikari almost certain that the girl in the mirror was important. Though doubt still lingered and whispered to Hikari that there was nothing here beyond her subconscious fears and perhaps the whispers of Tenraimon and the Digital World's influence, she felt certain now that this dark girl was the only thing real. Hikari was also sure that the girl was trapped and needed her help. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to help the other girl. She could never get any answers from the girl, not even a name, as no sound came from the mirror, no matter how much the girl screamed.

When Hikari saw those red eyes this time, the girl in the mirror's expression twisted up in agony before a flood of tears trickled down the dark girl's cheeks. The Chosen of Light felt her heart wrench at the sight, and she instinctively reached out for the other girl, but only felt cold glass against her palm.

"It's okay," Hikari said softly, though she wondered if the girl in the mirror could even hear her. "I'll get you out of there… somehow."

This was a dream, every bit of it. Hikari knew that even if she felt as lucid as though she was awake. Yet, the plight of this girl who was only present in her darkest dreams was a dagger digging into her heart, every bit as genuine and painful as the suffering of all the Digimon enslaved by the Digimon Kaiser. "You're real… aren't you. You're not me – you're _like_ me. You're another Chosen Child."

In a sudden burst of clarity, Hikari remembered the moment in Factory Town when the Digimon Kaiser screamed pure hate at her, and she now understood why. "You're her, aren't you? You're Keiko… right? You're the reason why the Digimon Kaiser can't stand to look at me… because I'm wearing your clothes."

The girl in black spoke, but her words never reached Hikari. She wiped away the tears on her cheeks, but more came swiftly to take their place.

Though Hikari was aware her efforts to communicate with the other Chosen Child were futile, there was little else she could do. The thought of breaking the mirror crossed her mind, perhaps with the chair behind the ticket booth. She discarded the idea just as quickly as it came, as she feared that she might hurt the other girl.

A part of Hikari had hoped that the realization of the girl's identity would change something, perhaps free Keiko. This was still a dream after all. She only felt a bit foolish for hoping as the seconds ticked by and nothing changed between her and the girl in black. If nothing else, she took some solace I the sound of her own voice in this otherwise silent and world.

"Are you the reason why they appear on me?" Hikari asked. "Are you doing this somehow?" She hesitated when a terrible suspicion began to form. "What happened to you?"

The dark girl dragged her fingers, wet with her tears, along the surface of the glass. Hikari placed her hand over that hers, wanting to offer some faint sense of comfort to the captive. When the black haired girl continued moving her hand, Hikari realized with a jolt that she was writing something on the glass.

Hikari removed her hand immediately and tried to make out the letters written in tears, but the dirty film coating the rippled glass made it hard to decipher such a faint message. Squinting did little to help make any sense of the streaks of water, and her frustration grew when the other girl finally stopped writing. "I don't… I can't read it. What are you trying to tell me?"

The sudden sound of a siren chilled Hikari to her core. "Oh no…" Reluctantly, she turned away from the mirror towards where she was certain the ocean lay, and watched as the white fog slowly rolled in. Her instincts told her to run and hide, but she felt certain that she was close now to having some sort of answer from the girl in the mirror.

Hikari shivered as the fog slowly erased the features of the town around her, limiting her visibility to only a few meters around her. Shadowy figures of varying sizes emerged from the dull white mist, but she knew from previous experiences that they were not the danger that was coming – that would be what came later to hunt them down. When the shadows came close enough, she could see that they were Digimon, panicked and in ragged condition, and all of them in shades of monochrome. Some looked her way, but before she could say anything, they let out ghastly screams as they fled from the fun house.

This was not normal. While sometimes these gray Digimon were afraid of Hikari, they almost always spoke to her whenever she approached them, even if their rambling did not always make sense. At worst, they would shout accusations at her, or babble disturbing things as they looked at her with hungry eyes. None of them had ever reacted this way to her before.

A terrible sense of dread seized Hikari and she turned back to the mirror. She choked on a scream of her own and covered her mouth as she stepped back.

The dark girl's tears had turned to blood, dying the near white of her skin a vivid shade of crimson. The message she wrote on the glass was now frighteningly clear in large red letters.

ИOMMUIИИƎ⅃⅃IM

That was when Hikari heard more screaming coupled with laughter, crying, and static, as the tide came in.

* * *

><p>Hikari awoke with a cry she barely choked back from turning into a full-blown scream as she wrestled with the sheets tangled around her. For one terrified moment, the blankets were the wave that had flooded the town and pulled her down into the depths of the ocean of madness. Once free, she tossed the sheets aside and bolted upright as it slowly registered that she was back in her bedroom and not the Dark World.<p>

The sensations of the dream were still fresh and clear in Hikari's mind. The last few seconds she experienced made her skin crawl as though her veins had been filled with ice water. Despite how her body shivered with cold and revulsion, her body was sticky with sweat. She struggled not to think about what happened when the dark water reached her, how she had been flooded with horrifying sensations and those _voices_…

It took Hikari nearly a minute to calm her breathing, though her heart took a little longer to return to its normal pace. She kept looking around at her bedroom in the sparse illumination granted by the small television on her dresser. She must have forgotten to shut it off before she went to bed and now it silently displayed nothing but static and the word "MUTE." Somehow, the static made her feel uneasy, and she groped blindly for the controller to shut the television off, plunging the room into darkness.

It took some effort for Hikari not to turn on the light and banish away the shadows that distorted the shapes of her familiar possessions. Her family was already worried enough because of her sickness without alerting them that she was suffering from nightmares on an almost nightly basis. She had to be strong and suffer through this on her own.

A tremor ran through Hikari as she remembered the intense terror that permeated the final moments of her dream. Her insides churned painfully with the threat of nausea and she fumbled to find her water bottle in the dark.

A whisper of movement made Hikari flinch, and she instantly focused on the foot of the bed where a pair of bright blue eyes gazed back at her.

Tailmon watched Hikari silently, her expression unreadable in the dim illumination from the streetlights that slipped in through the edges of the curtain. She waited for her partner to calm down from the brief jolt and realize who she was before she got up. She took her time in stretching, giving Hikari a moment more to relax before she moved to the head of the bed. She easily snatched the water bottle from its place on the nightstand and placed it in Hikari's hands before flopping down on her side beside the Chosen of Light. She moved her long tail to drape it across Hikari's waist. The gesture was light, but undeniably protective.

Hikari could feel her insides slowly unclench with the reminder that she was not alone. Tailmon would never leave her to fend for herself, even against a foggy nightmare town. She smiled gratefully at the feline Digimon before drinking deeply from the bottle, hoping the water would calm her nerves and ease her troubled stomach.

When Hikari was certain that she was not about to get sick again, she eased herself back down to the bed. She pulled Tailmon close after a moment's hesitation. Normally, she tried not to get too close to her partner when she was sick for fear of spreading her illness, but she needed Tailmon's comforting warmth right now.

Tailmon closed her eyes as she relaxed against Hikari, offering no complaint – not that Hikari expected any. Tailmon was a constant source of strength, even when her partner was at her weakest. There was never even a question about it.

Although Hikari felt a little better with Tailmon in her arms, she could not shake the unsettled feeling fluttering in her chest. Dream or no, she was now convinced that there was another Chosen Child out there who was suffering some horrible fate at that very moment and was calling out to her for help.

Hikari just wished she knew how.

* * *

><p>Normally, Takeru would be asleep so early in the morning. The sun was only now beginning rise over a city that was just starting to awaken. He should still be in bed, squeezing every minute of rest he could so he would not be bone tired when class started in only a couple hours, but he had given up. Sleep was just not in the cards for him right now. The little voice of cynicism in his head simply refused to shut up.<p>

Takeru stretched before squatting down, exercising his legs with the help of the outdoor concrete stairs leading up to his new apartment complex. His body groaned in protest, his muscles stiff with fatigue. There were gaps of time that he had slipped into a dream-like state that might have been sleep, but images and sounds of the ocean filled his thoughts, making him feel almost as though he had stepped back into that other world. Remaining awake and listening to his own doubts on loop was a restful vacation in comparison.

"Okay!" Takeru said, forcing out more cheer than he felt as he straightened up. He turned to Patamon, who was still half-asleep, leaning against the railing as he sat on the bottom step. "You didn't have to come with me, you know. You should get more rest."

Patamon yawned, stretching out his mouth as large as he did when firing an air attack. He blinked away sleep from his eyes, making him look more alert as he regarded Takeru with a look that reminded the Chosen Child that the tiny Child Digimon was also sometimes the imposing Adult Angemon. "So should you."

Takeru blinked before letting out a chuckle. "I guess so. Ready?"

Patamon fluttered up on to Takeru's shoulders, distributing his weight on both sides of his partner's body while he rested his arms around Takeru's neck. "Ready! Patamon, evolve to weight training assistant!"

Takeru laughed. Then there were times when Patamon was still every bit of a Child as they both were back during their first adventure. "What a powerful evolution!"

"Right," Patamon said, his voice so serious that Takeru could not help but laugh again. "The most powerful of all."

Takeru continued to chuckle even as he began his morning jog, moving from the apartment complex at a brisk pace. He had no interest in doing his usual exercise routine, especially when he felt so exhausted. With his luck, he would wind up falling asleep in class. A brisk jog around the block would get his blood moving and hopefully help him shake off his fatigue so he could get through the school day without getting in trouble.

"Hey, Takeru?" Patamon leaned forward as he fanned his wings slightly, bringing a cool breeze to Takeru's neck.

Takeru kept his gaze focused on the sidewalk ahead of him. "Hm?"

"Where do you think the Digimentals came from?" Patamon asked.

"I don't know," Takeru said, feeling a little relieved. For a moment, he thought Patamon was going to ask if something was bothering him. He was not in the mood to talk about it, or lie to his partner. "I would have thought Gennai, but he never mentioned them."

Patamon let out a thoughtful hum that tickled against Takeru's neck. "Maybe he didn't think we'd need them?" The odd note to his voice suggested to Takeru that he did not believe that to be the case.

"Then why make them at all?" Takeru asked.

"They would've been helpful against Vamdemon or the Dark Masters," Patamon mumbled.

Takeru considered that as he rounded the corner. "No, I don't think so. Strong as they are, I can't imagine any of the Digimental evolutions being able to hold their own against an Ultimate like the Dark Masters, or even against Vamdemon. The Crests are better in many ways, even if only their special Chosen can use them."

Patamon turned his gaze skyward, watching the occasional cloud drift by between tall skyscrapers. "I wonder which came first, the Crests or the Digimentals?"

"Good question," Takeru mumbled. He paused, his train of thought derailed when he noticed a familiar face across the street – it was Iori, jogging with weighted bands strapped to his ankles and wrists. Takeru quickened his pace to reach the edge of the crosswalk. "Iori! Good morning!"

Iori snapped out of his meditation and turned his sharp eyes to Takeru and Patamon. A beat later, he recognized who addressed him and smiled as he changed direction. He paused only to wait for the traffic to stop and allow him to cross so that he could join the pair. "Good morning. You jog as well?"

Takeru flashed the other boy a smile that was stronger than he felt at the moment. "Yeah, especially when I have tension to work out."

Iori nodded, his eyes telling Takeru silently that he completely understood. "That it does. Do you mind if I join you?"

Takeru smiled. "Of course not. Be my guest."

The two boys soon settled into a steady rhythm as they jogged together down the street. Although Takeru focused on the ground and his feet, Iori's gaze constantly strayed to Patamon. The Digimon felt increasingly uncomfortable under such intense scrutiny, but hesitated to say anything.

Eventually, Takeru noticed Patamon shifting uncomfortably against him and Iori's staring and turned his focus to the other boy. "What's up?"

Iori realized he had been staring and looked away. "I'm sorry. It's still quite a shock that Digimon exist. I suppose I'm simply curious."

Takeru raised his eyebrows, mildly surprised by the pinked cheeks ruining the normally neutral façade of the newest Chosen Child. A thoughtful hum escaped him as he reminded himself that Iori was his age after all, and not some world-weary middle-aged samurai like the other boy tried to act most of the time. "It's a lot to accept. I'm sorry it was all thrust at you so suddenly."

"Do not apologize," Iori said. "It's just how Miyako is."

Takeru tilted his head, feeling his own curiosity grow. If there was anything he had gleaned from Miyako's attitude as Class Representative, it was that she was a stickler for the rules. It was hard to imagine someone who lectured him about keeping Digimon a secret would act impulsive on a regular basis. "Really? That's… surprising."

"I know Miyako better than anyone," Iori said with a wistful smile that almost seemed out of place on the face of such a usually sober child. "You get used to her recklessness."

Takeru made a noncommittal noise as he considered that. He was new to the area, so it was not all that surprising that he did not know much about Miyako beyond her role as Class Representative. Their classmates certainly did not seem to think there was anything more to her than that. He knew that he had to fix that now that she had been revealed to be a Chosen Child like him.

With a shake of his head, Takeru put his mind back on the topic at hand. "Still… It takes a lot to just trust someone when you're staring down giant melting monsters and things like that. No one would blame you if it was too much for you to take."

Iori shook his head slightly."As I said, I know her, and have known her for a long time." His voice was soft as he stared straight ahead, his gaze focused somewhere beyond the streets before them. "This is actually not the most outrageous thing I've had to deal with, if you can imagine that." At noticing the shocked look on Takeru's face, a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "You would be surprised at the things you don't know about Miyako."

"Like what?" Takeru asked, his curiosity growing.

"That outfit she wore in the Digital World," Iori said, as he returned his voice to the path ahead of them. "It suits her."

Takeru nearly stumbled when he outright gawked at Iori, but fortunately caught himself before he could face plant into the ground.

"Really?" Patamon asked, blinking. "With the way she kept going on and on about it, I thought she was planning on ripping it off and setting it on fire."

Takeru shook off his confusion and quickened his pace so he would not lag behind Iori. "Same here."

Iori smiled at Takeru, his expression surprisingly playful. "I would owe Miyako a million ohagi if she knew I told you that, however, so please don't mention it to her."

Takeru silent for a moment, taken aback by the newfound knowledge and the crooked grin Iori wore. He realized that he did not really know the two newest Chosen Children at all, but he was looking forward to finding out. He returned the smile with one of his own. "My lips are sealed."

"Not a word!" Patamon said before covering his mouth with both his wings for good measure.

Iori chuckled. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>Sora knew this was not the right mentality to have, that it would only make time move that much slower. Yet, no matter how much she tried to make herself enjoy the school club activities, all her efforts came to nothing. It was impossible to feel joy when there was none to be had.<p>

_So this is what a 'girl' spot feels like,_ Sora thought, bitterly. It was not so much that tennis was a bad sport – she could see what drew people to play or watch it – she just had no interest in it, or skill, for that matter. Her mother had told her that if she could be good at soccer, clearly she would have no problem with tennis. Her mother was very encouraging, telling her repeatedly that could do anything she put her mind to.

That may have been true, but Sora simply did not have the 'mind' for tennis.

_Of course, that's probably because of my teammates_, Sora thought.

Sora did not have to look around to know Rie was present – the other girl's obnoxious laughter did that for her. She knew that Rie was trying to get her attention by 'innocently' giggling too loud while pretending to be discreet, occasionally whispering to some other girls standing close by.

Although Sora felt twinges of curiosity and unease at not knowing what Rei found so funny, they were smothered by an overwhelming sense of apathy. Whatever someone like Rie found funny would most likely anger her, which was the entire point. The bully was clearly baiting her to get some sort of reaction, but Sora had no interest in falling for such an obvious trap.

The more Sora dealt with Rie, the more tired she became. She hated that their relationship had become something so poisonous, but when compared to the anguish she felt over Piyomon's capture and all the horrors going on in the Digital World, Rie felt miniscule, microscopic. As it was, she was already questioning why she continued to try to find something to enjoy about a sport that failed to hold her interest. If she was being honest with herself, the only reasons why she kept coming back were because she did not want to disappoint her mother, and because being part of school clubs were good for college transcripts.

Sora closed her eyes and focused on the sound of tennis balls striking the rackets and asphalt in a rhythmic pattern, only occasionally broken up when someone scored. The chatter from her teammates and the squeak of sneakers created white noise that almost drowned out Rie's increasingly noisy attempts to get her attention. The world slowly, reluctantly started to slip away as she tried to empty her thoughts, when a sudden beeping brought her crashing back to Earth.

Sora jerked, eyes flying open, as she instantly recognized the particular chime.

"Why Sora!" Rie said too loudly, her voice scandalized. "You brought a _cell phone_ to _practice_ and left it _on_? Don't you know how _rude_ that is?"

A couple of the girls giggled while more started whispering, but Sora ignored them and the disapproving look from the coach. She abandoned her place in line and dove for her bag. Her friends knew her schedule, which meant that the only reason why they would send her a message was if it was important.

Anxiety churned in Sora's stomach as she whipped out her D-Terminal, feeling equal parts dread and hope as she opened up the email from Koshiro. The message was short, but its impact on her was profound.

Jijimon wants to see us immediately. How soon can you get here?

"Sorry, but I have to go," Sora said rapidly as she hastily shoved her stuff into her bag. "It's an emergency!"

"Sora!_?_" the coach said, her voice almost a squawk. "Wait just one minute, young lady!"

"It's an emergency!" Sora shouted without looking back. She was already at the door to the school before anyone could think to come after her. She felt no guilt as everyone gawked at her, no concern for what they would say tomorrow or what questions they would throw her way, and she knew mother would understand.

Sora was a Chosen Child.


	21. Chapter 20

It came as little surprise to Koshiro that the email he initially received from Jijimon was nothing but a set of coordinates and instructions that _all_ of the Chosen Children needed to be present for the answers. Despite this, he tried pressing for more information, but his half dozen emails were met with silence. Only bringing up the fact that Hikari was too sick for travel got a snort, snappy remark in response.

I hat emails. come when u ALL can. WAIT an learn PATIENCE Knowledge. DArn kids!

Waiting had been the hard part. While the Chosen did need a break from the missions, fighting, and stress, the wait did little to resolve the tension inside each of them. The anticipation reminded them that relaxation was an impossible dream until the Digimon Kaiser was finally defeated.

After a little over a week, Jijimon unexpectedly sent them another message, telling them to come right away. The sense of urgency to the email had the Chosen back in the Digital World less than an hour afterward, minus Hikari, who remained waiting in front of Koshiro's laptop left in the Yagami apartment. There was a small mixture of disappointment amongst some of the Chosen Children when their clothes did not change upon their arrival, leaving most of them in their school uniforms. Unsurprisingly, the coordinates Jijimon gave the group took them far from any temple, or anything remotely resembling civilization at all. In every direction they looked, they found dense but lush and green trees with little more than a crumbling stone path broken up by weeds to indicate which way they should go.

Mimi admired the scenery and the clean air as she listened to the chirping of birds and buzzing of insects that they could not see. "It's so pretty and peaceful here." She giggled as she pointed out some vines coiled around tree trunks. "Look at those flowers, Palmon! They're almost as colorful as you are."

Palmon grinned and ran her hands along her petals. "Yeah, they're really pretty, but not as pretty as the rainbow you painted, Mimi."

"Of course," Mimi said, giggling. "You deserve only the best, Palmon."

"It's so much different than the forest near the other temple," Sora said as she took a lingering look around. She thought back to the first trip to find a temple that she, Mimi, and Koshiro took. The forest they were in had been deathly still and empty until they found that group of controlled Digimon. "You can actually _hear_ life… like it's more _alive_."

"It just serves as a reminder of how the Digital World is _supposed_ to be," Takeru said as he walked forward along the winding path. "Rather than how it is _now_."

"It's quite curious," Iori said as he stopped to admire a bright red flower that stuck out from a particularly large bush. "When one thinks of a different world, you tend to picture environments more like _this_. Though, if we are the only humans here… does that mean the Digimon made the metal town and these pathways?"

"They might have just _happened_," Takeru said with a shrug. When he noticed the strange look Iori sent his way, he let out a soft chuckle. "Wait until you see clockwork trees, telephone booths lining a beach, and a town made out of a bouncy castle. The Digital World does what it wants, when it wants."

"There's a lot about the Digital World that we don't have answers for," Koshiro said. "And the last time we were here, a lot of it was altered from what it originally looked like by the Dark Masters, so who knows what it's going to be like now… especially with the Digimon Kaiser hacking into the world's code."

Yamato gave their surroundings only a cursory glance before he returned his attention to Takeru. Frowning, he hurried to catch up with his younger brother. "Hey, would you rather wait back in the real world with Hikari? You can both gate in together once we find the temple."

Takeru stiffened, but his movements did not slow and he refused to look back. "Why the hell would I do that?"

Yamato grimaced, taken aback by Takeru's tone. The hostility his younger brother displayed had not gone away after that first night, but instead grew steadily worse with each passing day. Given the past conversations they had recently, he could already tell that this discussion was doomed. "There's no point in you pushing yourself, especially with your shoulder–"

"My _shoulder_ has nothing to do with my _legs_," Takeru said, his voice as frigid as an arctic wind. "I can walk just _fine_."

"Just the same," Yamato said through gritted teeth, "you shouldn't push it."

"Same to you," Takeru said, the words coming out in a growl.

Mimi looked at Takeru, clearly concerned. "Is it doing any better? Is it hurting you? Has it shrunk any or faded or…?"

Patamon shook his head sadly. "Nope. Takeru says it's just numb, not painful or anything like that, but it's still the same size and color as before. I think we need help getting rid of it."

"What would _help_ is if everyone _backed off_ already," Takeru said, his voice growing colder by the second. In truth, the shoulder throbbed with pain even now, but he was not going to let Patamon or anyone else know that.

Yamato stared at Takeru for a long moment before he turned to Taichi, his expression helpless. He just could not comprehend the change in his brother's behavior, no matter how much he tried. It felt too jarring, too impossible for Takeru. Taichi could only give him a sympathetic look, having no answers to give.

Patamon grew troubled as he moved in closer to his partner. "I'm sorry, Takeru. I don't mean to keep bothering you about it, but we're all just really worried about you. If anything were to happen to you…" His voice cracked and he looked away, unable to even think about the idea a moment longer.

The anger churning inside Takeru diminished when he heard Patamon's words, which caused his heart to clench with pain that rivaled his shoulder. Even still, he could not bring himself to look at the others. A part of him still whispered that for all their concern, they were ignoring his feelings and judgment. "I know."

Daisuke moved to Takeru's side, hesitant and uncertain. "Hey… uh… have you been sleeping okay lately? You've been kind of, well, grouchy since Factory Town."

Takeru felt a swelling of irritation inside of him before he glanced to Daisuke, forcing it down. Instead, he offered the other boy a weak smile. He found it much easier to talk to Daisuke than Yamato, if only because he did not feel like he was under attack. He could take his classmate's concern at face value, as Daisuke had nothing to gain from it. "No, not really. I've been having nightmares every night, so it makes sleeping kind of difficult."

Daisuke frowned then looked away as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, yeah, I guess that's not surprising after those monsters we saw. I've been… uh…" He shifted awkwardly in place for a moment. "I've been having bad dreams about those things too, but V-mon has been pretty good about waking me up before they get bad, and he helps me relax about getting back to sleep so I don't get too tired."

"Well, yeah, there's that," Takeru said, with a weak chuckle. "But I'm actually kinda okay with that. I can file that two headed abomination and the rest of them as just more weird stuff the Digital World has done to me. I'm talking more… personal crap. Crap that I thought I was done with," At seeing Daisuke's confused glance, the Chosen of Hope sighed. "You know, like my parents' divorce… and being separated from my brother for years because of it. Not to mention…"

Takeru trailed off before he looked down at the ground, his expression darkening. There was a prolonged pause before he spoke again. "…When Patamon died."

Yamato felt annoyed that Takeru was more willing to talk to Daisuke than him, but he kept his mouth shut. At the very least, his little brother was talking about this at all. For that reason alone, he would swallow the words he wanted to say and let his little brother vent – even if it was not to him.

Patamon drooped a bit, feeling a pang of guilt that he had a hand in making his partner feel bad. "Takeru…"

Daisuke nodded, uncertain of what to say, as the topic seemed far more delicate than he was ready to deal with. It was also still disorienting to know someone who had been killed and reborn. "Oh."

V-mon drooped, glancing to Daisuke. He had to wonder how his partner would take it if _he_ ever died. Temporary or not, it obviously still upset the blond. It made him that much more determined to get stronger for Daisuke's sake.

Takeru nodded. He could tell that the mention had upset more than just Patamon, as he could see the worry and pity everyone turned his way, so he opted instead to change the subject subtly. "That, and Pinnochimon."

"Pinnochimon?" V-mon repeated, as he glanced up. "Who's that?"

"A psychotic Digimon who kidnapped me to play 'tag', which basically involved him chasing me around with a gun," Takeru said, so casually that it even surprised himself. "I guess he thought it was 'funny'."

Daisuke outright gawked at Takeru. "You mean he was shooting at you and acted like it was a _game_?"

"I remember hearing about that," Miyako said as she looked curiously at Takeru. "That was with a _real_ gun from our world, right?"

Takeru nodded. "Yeah. I don't even know why he had it. He definitely didn't _need_ it. He was perfectly capable of killing me by himself."

Yamato's insides clenched. He remembered how Takeru had been kidnapped, and his own behavior when his younger brother had managed to escape without his help. Guilt and irritation, mostly at himself, came rushing back at the reminder.

Miyako glanced towards Iori at her side, but only for an instant. Just a glimpse showed her to see the rigidness in his posture and a terrible hardness around his eyes as he stared unwaveringly ahead of them. She pretended not to notice. "Maybe he was trying to screw with your head. Guns are pretty scary, no matter who holds them."

"If it were one of the other Dark Masters, I'd agree," Takeru said, with a shake of his head. "But Pinnochimon… I honestly don't think he gave it that much thought. He didn't seem like the kind of Digimon to give _anything_ much thought. He acted like an immature brat who just did whatever he felt like doing at the time. I doubt he could even come up with anything so manipulative and was just using a gun because he thought it looked cool."

Miyako slowly shook her head. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Plenty of people back on Earth use guns for the same reason. Makes me wonder if he stole it from another Digimon or if there's trees that grow guns out here."

Daisuke blinked at Miyako. "_Grow_ guns?"

Miyako raised an eyebrow at Daisuke. "Are you really surprised by the idea at this point?"

Daisuke scratched his head. "This place isn't _that_ weird."

"Oh, hey, look!" Taichi said as he pointed ahead of them. "I think we're almost there."

The Chosen fixed their attention to an unusual structure resting further down the path. A stone arch covered in runes loomed over the dirt road, so circular and smooth it almost appeared to be a massive ring that had been partially sunk into the ground centuries ago.

"Hang on," Koshiro said as he quickened his pace. "I want to examine the markings on this."

"This… doesn't look like a temple," Takeru said, as he frowned. He gave the area a quick glance around. "I don't see Jijimon, either. Is this really the place…?"

Taichi's expression contorted unpleasantly. "It'd be a lot easier to find these temples if Jijimon didn't expect us to wander around looking for them. What's the point of it?"

"At least it's _something_," Miyako said. "Maybe this is just a sign we're going in the right direction."

"I guess," Daisuke said, brow furrowing. "I still wonder if we were supposed to go the other way."

Miyako shrugged. "Our odds of being right were 50-50, if the path was even leading us in the right direction at all."

Koshiro nodded as he ran his fingers along the cool stone of the arch. "This looks pretty old. I'm having a hard time figuring out what's written on it." He frowned and moved to another spot. "Maybe thi–"

The words hung in the air, unfinished, as Koshiro passed underneath the arch and disappeared. There was no flash or fanfare, just one instant he was there and the next he was gone.

Mimi shrieked as she saw it happen. "Koshiro!_?_"

"K-Koshiro!" Tentomon cried out as he bolted towards where his partner had been. "Where did yo–"

The second Tentomon passed through the arch he was gone.

"What… what just happened!_?_" Jou nearly screamed, his voice spiking in panic as he slid his glasses down to stare before pushing them up again. "He… he disappeared_?_!"

Taichi jolted as a memory hit him. "Wait, this must be like that pyramid, remember? Back during our first adventure."

"Oh!" Sora's eyes widened as she brought her hand to her chest. "Like those hidden passages, and how no one could see us?"

"Hey, Koshiro!" Miyako said sharply. "If you're in a hidden temple or something, come on out. You're freaking us out."

Tense seconds ticked by before Mimi looked to the others. "Why isn't he answering?"

"Maybe it's because this is something else," Miyako said, folding her arms over her chest.

Takeru looked at the arch, frowning, before he pulled out his D-Terminal and typed up a quick email to Koshiro. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Half a minute crawled by before the silence was broken by the chime of a D-Terminal. Takeru quickly skimmed the email before reading it aloud with a frown. "'I'm fine. Come on through, it's safe.'" Despite the reassurance, he cast a wary look to the arch.

Sora turned her attention from Takeru back to the arch. "So it _is_ like the pyramid…"

Taichi grinned. "Leave it to Koshiro to find the secret first."

"Well, that's that, then," Takeru said as he pocketed his D-Terminal before striding towards the arch. "Let's go, Patamon."

"Right, Takeru!" Patamon said as he flew after his partner.

Daisuke shot the others an inquisitive look. "Wait, what's this about a pyramid?"

"Let's save the recap of past adventures for the real world," Miyako said as she followed Takeru. "The short version is secret passages hidden with holograms."

Daisuke scowled, storming after Miyako. "Hey, how the heck do you know all this stuff already anyway?"

"Koshiro told all of us online a while back," Miyako said. "I'll add it in the next update of the info file." She paused just in front of the arch to cock an eyebrow at Daisuke. "Have you even read it yet?"

Daisuke's cheeks flushed with color. "Of course I have! It just barely had anything I didn't already know!"

"I _told_ you it was unfinished," Miyako said, a defensive edge to her voice. "I'm just surprised you bothered to study it so quickly."

Daisuke scowled. "Just what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Taichi grabbed the back of Daisuke's shirt and dragged the younger boy towards the arch. "It means no bickering and let's get going."

"Hey, _hey_!" V-mon growled at Taichi. "Don't touch Daisuke!"

The instant the Chosen passed through the arch, they went from a dense and green jungle to a high mountaintop with snow stretching as far as the eye could see. The path before them ended not far from the arch, leading to a wide set of stone steps carving a winding trail high along the mountainside.

Mimi shivered as the air temperature changed from balmy to frigid in the span of a second and hugged herself. "So cold!"

Koshiro waved at the group, standing further up on the massive staircase. "I think this is it, everybody! I can see something up on top of the mountain that looks like a temple."

Taichi looked back the way they came, watching as the last of their group, Jou, materialized out of thin air. There was an arch here too, but this one had been set up dangerously close to a cliff, with the path from the stairs going through it and stopping less than a meter away. He dared to peek over the edge of the cliff then backed away quickly when he saw no ground far below, just an endless sea of clouds and sky. "Let's be careful where we step, guys. I have a feeling this is something a little different than a hidden room."

Daisuke looked around, his eyes wide in awe. "We teleported! That thing must've been just like the Digital Gate!"

Taichi nodded. "Yeah, except we're still in the Digital World."

Sora shivered as she tugged on the edge of her skirt, her school uniform not providing nearly enough protection for her bare legs. It reminded her of going to school in the winter, before the students were allowed to change to their more insulated winter uniforms. Even then, the girls had to wear skirts that provided no warmth to their legs at all. "H-he could have warned us!"

Yamato glanced over to Sora before he took off his green school blazer and held it out to her. "Here."

"Thanks," Sora said with a grateful smile as she accepted the jacket. She swiftly tied it around her waist, letting it hang off her like an extended shirt. While it was not as useful as pants, it kept the worst of the biting wind at bay.

Taichi noticed the exchange and quickly offered his own jacket to Mimi, who was wearing a skirt even shorter than Sora's.

"I knew I should've gone with my sequined jeans today," Mimi said, holding Taichi's jacket closed with one hand.

Yamato suppressed the urge to shiver as the cold hit him harder now that he had no jacket and tried to focus his attention on other things. "What is his angle, anyway? Jijimon's not outright _sabotaging_ us, but he's not being _helpful_ either."

"He keeps comparing us to Ryo's group," Takeru said, as he crossed his arms. "And the hardships _they_ faced."

Iori swept his gaze along their surroundings. "Perhaps these 'temples' were meant to be trials for 'Chosen' to overcome." His trip tightened on his bokken. "But the current situation demands that exceptions be made."

Yamato grunted in displeasure. "I think he's pissed off and taking it out on us."

Miyako forced herself to walk swiftly up the stairs despite the tremors of cold running through her body. Privately, she felt thankful that she changed out of her school uniform into her work overalls before they arrived, though they were so worn from repeated use she wondered if her school uniform would have been warmer. At least her sneakers were more comfortable than the dress shoes. "I think this shows us we need to get some gear to face different elemental conditions."

Daisuke glanced sideways at Miyako. "I'm still surprised you even have _those_ clothes. I kept thinking all you had was a closet of school uniforms…" He snickered. "Since you love sailor suits so much."

Miyako shot Daisuke a piercing look. "I only have _one_ uniform – not that it's any of your business – and I can't afford to let it get wrecked here since _some of us_ like to be taken seriously at school. Also, that _other_ outfit was the result of sexist programming by a sexist jerk who gets off on seeing panty flashes and blatant sexist fan service!"

Daisuke grinned despite noticing the snipe Miyako took at him. "Whatever you say."

Mimi shivered before pulling Palmon into her arms to keep both of them warm with body heat. "Let's hurry and get to the temple before we start to freeze!"

The Chosen Children kept relatively close together as they ascended the long and winding staircase, their Digimon keeping as close to them as possible. Occasionally a cold breeze blew harder, jabbing them with countless tiny needles made of ice, eliciting shivers and slowing down their progress, but eventually they reached the summit.

The first thing to greet the Chosen was a monstrous cathedral of ornate design. Its gilded trims and vibrant splashes of color from countless stained glass windows made it stand out vividly against the pristine white snow. The structure was both impressive and oppressive, towering high above the group with blank faced statues of countless Digimon staring down at them. Above the large doors, a mosaic of colorful glass created an image of outer space surrounding two planets side by side that the Chosen instantly recognized – Earth and the Digital World.

"Wow…" Mimi's voice was a hushed whisper as she stared in awe at the building before them. "So beautiful!"

"And it looks a lot warmer than out here," Miyako said as she hurried forward.

The first thing the Chosen focused on once they entered the expansive temple was the immense mural etched into the floor. The designs were intricate and filled with color, drawing focus to a number of important looking symbols. The overall shape was a circle, with the three relatively smaller circles set evenly apart along the periphery to form a triangle, with rows of runes and lines surrounding them and connecting them together. Within those three circles were five more circles arranged in the shape of a cross, with four linked up to a noticeably larger circle set at the center. At the heart of the mural was an ornate triangle where three altars rested, each placed at the points of the triangle.

The amount of detail of the mural was staggering, and for Daisuke, Miyako, Iori, and V-mon, it was a beautiful work of art. For the Chosen who experienced the fateful August of 1999, eight of the more prominent symbols at the center of the fifteen smaller circles were the most important parts of the design. Each of Odaiba Eight's crests had been set into the circles, with the other seven presumably belonging to the rest of the Chosen Children they were only now slowly gathering together.

There seemed to be no pattern to the arrangement of the crests. All of them, save for Hikari's, were like satellites orbiting a larger crest, one of which was the Crest of Light. That crest was placed near the east wall, which was made up almost entirely of stained-glass. Sunshine spilled in through slice of color arranged to look like a rainbow sun floating in a clear blue sky. The window on opposite wall to the west was a complementary counterpart, showing a dazzling darkened sky filled with stars and a crescent moon. Straight ahead, opposite of the entrance, was a depiction of the Digital World in a cloudy sky at twilight or dawn.

Between each mural were arched hallways hidden in shadow, but the Chosen barely paid them any mind. They were so caught up in staring at their surroundings that they almost missed seeing Jijimon enter from one of the passageways.

"Looks like ya made it," Jijimon said. "Cold enough for ya?"

Taichi shook his head slightly as he was snapped back to the present. "And then some," he muttered as he rubbed his face to bring back warmth to his skin.

"I know you have a point to sending us on these long walks," Koshiro said in a tone that gave away how dubious he was about the idea. "But maybe next time you could warn us if we need to dress for warm or cold weather."

"That'd be nice, wouldn't it?" Jijimon said as he tilted his head. "If the Digital World warned you before it threw random crap at you. Head's up, here's a blizzard! Just so you know, these bastards want to kill you! You want written notice or a giant blinkin' sign in the sky? Shall we wipe yer butts for you while we're at it?"

Miyako eyed Jijimon, her expression deapan. "You're a bundle of sunshine and rainbows aren't you."

"Nope, fire and brimstone," Jijimon said. "Wanna sniff?"

"No!" Daisuke shouted as he cringed back, waving his arms defensively in front of him. "Never again!"

Koshiro forced out an awkward chuckle and wondered if they should have left the doors open. "Let's just get to the questions, okay, Jijimon?"

"Nope," Jijimon said, tapping his staff on the edge of the Crest of Light.

Yamato cocked an eyebrow. "'Nope?'"

"When I say 'everyone', I mean _everyone_," Jijimon said before he rapped his staff harder against the symbol at his feet and glared upward at the ceiling. "That includes _you_, girlie."

Taichi blinked before his eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, that's right! We need to let Hikari know she can gate in now."

Daisuke whipped out his D-Terminal. "Hang on, I'll send Hikari-chan an ema–"

A sudden flash of white appeared in front of the group. The lines of light wove itself into a grid that created the outline of two distinct shapes, one significantly larger than the other. Squares of color appeared over the grid lines, mostly composed of white. Like an image loading with increasingly defined resolution on a computer, the squares broke down into smaller ones that created a better definition of what the forms really looked like. Within seconds, the pixelization and light disappeared, leaving Hikari and Tailmon standing before the group.

Daisuke nearly dropped his D-Terminal, his mouth hanging open. "Whoa…"

Miyako readjusted her glasses, her eyes wide. "For once I agree with you, Motomiya."

"So that's what we look like when we use the Digital Gate," Koshiro muttered, fascinated by what had just transpired.

Taichi was at Hikari's side in an instant. "Are you feeling okay, Hikari?"

Hikari nodded, smiling at her older brother. "Yes. I'm feeling much better today. You don't have to worry about me."

"Right," Taichi said, though his tone and frown proved that he was not quite ready to believe it.

"Now that you're _all_ here, I reckon we can get down to business," Jijimon said as he tapped his staff on the ground.

"Yes, that's a fine idea," said the voice of an old woman. Jijimon flinched at the sound as it echoed off the high ceiling of the temple.

The quiet clunk of wood drew everyone's attention to one of the hallways between the stained glass windows where a Digimon slowly approached them, using a broom as a walking stick to aid every step she took. Despite moving slowly, she carried herself with a quiet dignity that belayed her withered appearance.

In some ways, the newcomer reminded the Chosen Children of Jijimon, at least on a superficial level. While her eyes were obscured by gray hair, the rest of her wrinkled gray face was exposed, her long hair neatly tied into a bun held in place by a band and an oversized gold and red pin. Her clothes consisted of a green cloak with a white and red trim over top a dress made of checkered blues and a gray and gold skirt. Around her neck was a necklace made of pink pearls with the Crest of Light painted in white on the largest pearl at the center.

The sound of the broom striking the floor rang out the temple with an air of finality as the grandmotherly Digimon came to a halt not far from Jijimon. "Now that _all_ of us are _finally_ together, let's have a nice long _chat_."

Jijimon grimaced before he rounded about, waving his staff towards the other Digimon. "You! I told you to stay out of this, you old bag!"

The elderly female Digimon let out a scoff. "If you think I'm going to let you get away with sending me on a wild goose chase while you sneak off behind my back and help the Chosen Children without me, then you've got more wax in your ears than brains in your head." She turned to the children and smiled. "Hello, Chosen Children. My name is Babamon. Don't mind the old fart here."

Mimi looked between Babamon and Jijimon before her eyes suddenly widened in understanding. "Oh! I know who you are! You must be Jijimon's wife, aren't you?"

"You bet she's my wife," Jijimon said gruffly, "so you lot keep yer hands to yerself!"

"You're very perceptive, young lady," Babamon said with a wry smile. "You're looking at the only Digimon in the world who can keep this knucklehead in line."

Sora smiled to the Digimon. Like Mimi, she also remembered the conversation at the previous temple. "Pleased to meet you."

Babamon took her dress in one hand and gave the group a small curtsy. "The pleasure is all mine."

Jijimon rounded on Babamon and slammed his staff against the ground. "You! Don't you go gettin' too pleasant with 'em! The last thing they need is coddlin'!"

Babamon's demeanor switched from motherly to harsh in an instant as she directed her attention to Jijimon. "Better to be coddling than to run these children ragged between battles for your so-called training!"

"Sure," Jijimon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Coddlin' 'em has done a _wonderful_ job so far, hasn't it? It worked out _so well_ before."

Taichi blinked. "Before?"

"You're just pitching a fit because I didn't fall for your tricks this time," Babamon said waspishly before she turned back to the kids and spoke in a sweeter tone. "Now then, you children must have a lot of questions for us."

Hikari decided it was best not to comment on the Ultimate Digimon's squabbling and nodded. "Yes. Do you know why our crests are on that mural?"

"I was wondering about that too," Koshiro said as his eyes scanned the expansive image stretched across the floor. "There's more symbols on here that we don't know, so they must be all fifteen crests, right?"

Babamon nodded. "Yes, that's very perceptive of you."

"Wouldn't have to trick ya if you'd keep outta this, durn fool woman!" Jijimon said. He let out a snort as he turned his head away from the group. "As for the rest of ya, I'd say a better question would be why the hell _wouldn't_ they be on the mural!"

Babamon whirled towards Jijimon, brandishing her broom menacingly. "If you've got something to say to me, then go ahead and say it, you old codger. Don't go snapping at these children!"

"You go senile already!_?_" Jijimon shouted as he whirled to face Babamon. "'Cuz I sure remember _already_ givin' you an earful!" He shook his staff menacingly in her direction. "I won't mind givin' ya _another_ one!"

Takeru looked at the two Digimon, feeling a growing sense of irritation and impatience at their behavior. He wanted answers, and their spat was not helping. Then again, it was distracting the group from focusing on whatever was wrong with his shoulder, which was the entire point of this trip, and he could not bring himself to be too disappointed about that. He found more interest in the giant mural and moved slowly away from the others to get a better look at the intricate designs around his feet.

"Um…" Koshiro cleared his throat awkwardly. "Jijimon? Babamon?"

Babamon's mouth curled in displeasure. "Oh yeah? You think you can actually _take_ me this time?"

"I can take you this time, that time, _any_ time!" Jijimon retorted as he shook his staff harder.

"Hey!" Taichi shouted. "Time out, you guys!"

Babamon pointed her broom at Jijimon. "Not even _you_ are stupid enough to start a fight _here_ of all places!"

"Hah, don't you worry none!" Jijimon said as he twirled his staff about. "My words are more than enough for you, you old harpy!"

Mimi placed her hand on Taichi's shoulder just as he stepped forward, preventing him from trying again to get the attention of the Ultimate Digimon. "It's not a good idea to get involved when a married couple are having a spat." She winked and held up a finger. "Trust me. Let's wait until they sort things out."

Taichi blinked at Mimi then looked back at Babamon and Jijimon as they started going into a loud round of insults that would be perfectly at home on the kindergarten playground. "I guess…"

Koshiro sighed, frustrated that they had to wait a little longer for answers. "I guess we could take a better look at this mural while we wait." He pulled out his laptop and set to work scanning the floor.

Jou adjusted his glasses as he looked down at the mural. "I wonder what all this writing is about…"

Miyako frowned as she walked to the closest crest to her – the Crest of Courage. She frowned as she looked over the runes that surrounded it. "I knew I should've memorized what these characters mean," she muttered under her breath.

When Hikari looked to the sun mosaic, a strange sense of nostalgia washed over her. Slowly she made her way towards it, only to stop short in front of the Crest of Light. Unlike the symbol she used to wear round her neck, this depiction of her crest was painted white like a pearl, faintly reflecting rainbows where the light touched it. She knelt and lightly brushed her fingers along the smooth, polished floor. Strangely, she felt a brief pang of disappointment that nothing happened when she touched it.

Takeru moved to Hikari's side, watching her for a moment as she examined her crest, then turned his attention to the four other crests orbiting the Crest of Light. He only recognized two – Hope and Courage – while the other two were completely unfamiliar. One of the unknown crests looked to be a sword, while the other reminded him of a rosebud. A quiet hum rumbled at the back of his throat. "These crests must belong to Daisuke, Miyako, or Iori… or one of the other Chosen Children we haven't met yet."

"That they do, kiddo."

Takeru jerked and whirled about to find Jijimon and Babamon standing directly behind him. He had not heard them approach, or noticed when they stopped fighting. The two seemed completely calm now, as though they had not been at each other's throat only seconds before.

Jijimon's teeth barely appeared through his facial hair as he flashed Takeru a grin. "Over here in the Light, you got yourself Courage, Hope, Honor, an' Kindness."

Miyako eyed the crest with the sword then glanced at Iori briefly before turning back to their guides. "Let me guess, this one's Honor, right?"

"Right you are, dear," Babamon said with a smile.

"Honor and… Kindness?" Takeru murmured as he looked over the new crests in a more critical light. "Who is–" He stopped then slowly looked over at Iori, his gaze focusing on the bokken at the other boy's side. "…Honor. Definitely Honor."

Miyako flashed Takeru a crooked grin. "Kind of obvious there, isn't it? I can't think of anyone else who represents the spirit of honor better than Iori."

Iori blinked slowly as he noticed the attention focused on him, a look of surprise and wonder breaking his poker face, but only for a moment. "I… will take your word on it, though I dare say I'm not worthy of such praise."

Daisuke looked down at the Crest of Honor then moved to Hikari's side, examining the symbol she was touching. "So I guess that one belongs to you, Hikari-chan?"

Hikari nodded before rising to her feet. "Right. It's the Crest of Light."

Daisuke folded his arms and let out a thoughtful hum. "It must be important 'cause it's bigger than the others and all."

"I wonder why they're arranged like this," Koshiro said as he eyed the lines that connected the Crest of Light to Courage, Honor, Hope, and Kindness.

"Light is one of the three crests tied to the gods of the Digital World," Babamon said, her voice sober. "Each one has four guardians to protect it, as you can see here."

Daisuke tried to be discreet as he looked at Hikari. "So that makes Hikari-chan like a princess and she's got four knights to protect her?"

Babamon chuckled. "You could put it that way."

"I call dibs on this one!" Daisuke said as he pointed at the Crest of Courage.

Taichi stifled a snicker behind his hand. "Sorry, Daisuke, but Courage is mine."

Daisuke blinked then frowned. "Oh, er, okay, I'll go with this one instead!" He moved to the Crest of Hope.

Takeru couldn't help but grin at Daisuke, as he could see where the conversation was going. "Sorry, but that would be mine, Hope."

Daisuke let out a displeased sound before he slid closer to Takeru, lowering his voice. "Any chance you'd mind trading?"

Takeru chuckled. "I don't think it works that way. We didn't get to choose, the crests kind of chose _us_."

Daisuke's frown deepened. "Wait, so… they're alive like Digimon or something?"

Koshiro rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think so, though Hikari's crest and at least one other one are connected to entities that are like gods here… Though there's not a lot we know about them yet." He cast a hopeful look towards Babamon and Jijimon.

"You influence yer crests far more than they influence you," Jijimon said. "If ya don't like yer crest, you got no one to blame but yerself."

Babamon sent an annoyed look Jijimon's way, though it was hard to say for sure without seeing her eyes. "What lint-for-brains here means is that the crests, ultimately, are shaped by your hearts. You influence them, just as you influence the Digital World and even the gods themselves."

Hikari's eyes widened slightly as Babamon turned her way. "Does… does that mean that the reason I can't talk to Tenraimon anymore is…?"

"No, no, child," Babamon said soothingly. "That's something outside of your control right now."

Dread coiled in Hikari's stomach. "What do you mean? Did something happen to her?"

Babamon gave Hikari a small smile. "Don't worry about Tenraimon. She'll talk to you again soon enough, I'm sure."

Jijimon slammed his staff on the ground, drawing the Chosen's attention back to him. "Anyway, you done or somethin'? Just gonna ignore the rest of the mural?"

Koshiro jerked slightly at the sound. "Oh, right. Do either of you know who these new crests belong to?"

"Yep," Jijimon said.

Yamato waited a moment before it was clear the elder Digimon had finished talking. "Are you going to tell us?"

"Nope," Jijimon said with a shrug.

Mimi furrowed her brow. "I thought you said you were going to give us answers once we got here."

Miyako held up her hand. "No, wait, let me guess. You want us to work through the problem ourselves first before you'll tell us if we're right or not."

"I'm afraid the situation is a bit complicated at the moment," Babamon said slowly, clearly choosing her words with great care. "It would be best if we not focus on the other Chosen Children outside of your group right now."

Taichi blinked. "Complicated?"

"We said we would answer yer questions," Jijimon said, "but we didn't say we were gonna answer _all_ of 'em." He let out a snort before he eyed Miyako. "There's a good reason not to tell you yer crests, the same reason Gennai didn't tell you before – people don't like being told who they are, especially when they don't realize it themselves. It makes 'em feel pressured an' uncomfortable." He then turned pointedly in Sora's direction. "And they might panic an' do stupid things."

Sora inwardly cringed as she curled her fingers around the edges of Yamato's jacket. She still remembered vividly how she reacted when she learned that she was the Chosen of Love, how badly she reacted. She had completely rejected the crest, as she had believed herself incapable of love, and in turn had caused her friends a lot of trouble that could have gotten any one of them killed.

"So you're just gonna let us guess, huh?" Taichi said before eyeing the crests. "Okay, then I guess Kindness must belong to a girl. I mean, it's a flower and it's _Kindness_ so it's gotta be."

Jijimon made a choked noise as hunched forward before coughing in to his hand. "O-oh? That so?"

"That probably means it belongs to Miyako," Jou said as he adjusted his glasses. "Or maybe that other girl… Keiko wasn't it?"

Jijimon practically doubled over as he choked, covering his mouth with his hand as he tried to stifle the sounds coming out of him. "Pffffhhhhhfhhhhh…!"

Babamon shoved her broom in front of Jijimon's face, silencing him. "Shush you."

"Gotta be Keiko," Daisuke said. "No way it fits Inoe."

Miyako shot Daisuke a withering look. "Oh, so fixing Guardromon and racing down flights of stairs to see if you were okay after a bucket fell on your head _wasn't_ kind enough for you? What, do I need to start giving out free foot rubs too?"

Daisuke scoffed. "You were the one who said it was a waste of time coming down to check on me over 'nothing.'"

"I was ready to call an ambulance!" Miyako snapped. "Do you know how much trouble you would've been in for a false alarm like that with a reputation like yours?"

Daisuke returned the glare Miyako shot his way. "Like you were thinking about that."

Hikari turned a worried gaze Daisuke's way. "What was that about a bucket?"

Daisuke smiled sheepishly as he held up his hands. "It's nothing, Hikari-chan. Don't worry about it."

Miyako huffed. "Oh, so _now_ it's 'nothing' when it involves Yagami, is it?"

Daisuke whirled towards Miyako. "Hey! You were the one who said it was 'nothing' first!"

"That's enough!" Mimi shouted as she moved between Daisuke and Miyako. "No fighting, _please_!"

Takeru shook his head and thought wryly of the scuffles Taichi and Yamato went through and felt thankful that Daisuke and Miyako were not going so far as trading blows… yet. "Come on, you two, we can worry about who's what after we find out about the other crests."

Daisuke and Miyako let out irritated breaths and looked away from each other, arms folded in perfect unison.

Takeru waited until he was sure that the pair weren't about to snipe at each other again before headed over to the next area of the mural closest to the stained glass window depicting a planet. "There's five more that we don't know."

"That's right," Koshiro said quickly as he joined Takeru, eager to avoid another argument. "What about these two over here? The one in the middle that's connected to mine, Jou's, and Mimi's must belong to another god, right?"

"That would be Miracles," Babamon said as she swept her broom towards the large, complicated symbol. "The one beneath it is Tenacity."

"I think Tenacity might be yours, Daisuke," Hikari said with a smile.

Daisuke blinked and stared down at the symbol in question, which looked like a stylized diamond. "You think so?"

Hikari nodded. "Once you set a goal for yourself, you don't let anything stop you, no matter how difficult the obstacle."

A splash of red colored Daisuke's cheeks. "W-well… if Hikari-chan says so, then it must be true."

"Tenacity… that's… that's good, right?" V-mon asked as he glanced between Daisuke and Hikari. She was his partner's friend, so he knew she wouldn't say anything bad about Daisuke. Still, it wasn't a word he was familiar with.

Hikari smiled at V-mon. "Very good. It means he'll never give up on anything he sets his mind to until he succeeds."

V-mon nodded slowly before breaking out into a big smile. "Right! Daisuke's the best! Daisuke always wins no matter what!"

Daisuke's blush deepened as he looked down at his crest and muttered an almost unintelligible word of thanks.

Taichi examined the Crest of Miracles with a critical eye. Unlike the rest of the crests, Miracles was not clearly recognizable, seemingly favoring a more abstract design. At the center there was something resembling an 'M' with odd angles and ends pointing inward. A triangle pointed away from each end of the 'M' with two diamonds placed above and below it. He slowly circled the crest, looking at it from all angles. "So what's this supposed to be, anyway? A dinosaur footprint?"

Mimi moved to Taichi's side. "I think it looks like a crown. See, it looks pointed at the top if you look at it from this angle."

Hikari squinted a bit. "Maybe it's supposed to be an arrow… just a really complicated one."

"All of 'em sound about right," Jijimon said with a sniff. "Especially if you know the DigiGod in question."

"So this one's also linked to a deity?" Takeru asked. "Who is he?"

Jijimon hesitated as he tapped his staff on the ground for a few seconds before letting out a grunt. "It _was_ Huanglongmon."

Hikari's head shot up. "Huanglongmon?"

Koshiro blinked. "What do you mean _was_?"

Babamon clucked her tongue before she shook her head. "I'm afraid that Huanglongmon was lost to a terrible evil that came long, long before any of you Chosen Children were even born."

"Lost?" Mimi whispered with a growing sense of dread. "You mean…?"

"What happened to him?" Taichi asked.

"He was tortured to death," Jijimon said, his voice gruff. "Or rather, tortured to the point that he decided death was the better option."

Takeru grimaced, his stomach churning. "But… wouldn't he have been reborn…?"

Jijimon stood tensely, his head slightly bowed. "Unlike Digimon, the Digital Gods are not designed to die – their very existence keeps our world running. You could say that they are the _programs_ that allow _us_ to continue functioning. And we found out a bit late the consequences of his actions, though no one can really fault his choice."

"Wait!" Koshiro said. "So if one of the DigiGods is dead, what does that mean for the Digital World?"

"Don't start panicking now," Babamon said soothingly. "The death of Huanglongmon was a terrible tragedy and nearly destroyed our world, true, but the remaining two DigiGods managed to shoulder his duties and are maintaining the balance of the Digital World on their own."

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Huanglongmon ph'n'ghft wgah'nagl fhtagn," Hikari muttered under her breath.

Babamon turned towards Hikari, but before she could say anything, Jijimon slammed the end of his staff against the floor.

"Actions were taken," Jijimon said, a bit too loudly, "things were done, sacrifices were made. Whether it all paid off still remains to be seen." He pointed his staff towards the children. "But the fact that the Digital World's still here means _something_ must be working, eh?" He smiled broadly enough that the whites of his teeth flashed through the busy whiskers on his face. "I guess you could say a _Miracle_ happened an' leave it at that. So why don't we keep goin' to the rest of the mural?"

"_Or_ we can stop it with all this crap and get to the _point_!" Yamato snapped as he clenched his fists, glancing about at the other Chosen before he returned his attention to Takeru - in particular, his shoulder. While he had curious about the mural and their crests, the longer the conversation went, the more he began to feel like it was distracting them from the entire point of their trip to the Digital World. As a result, everyone had gone off on complete tangents and the Chosen of Friendship found himself growing increasingly frustrated. "Enough already!"

The Chosen of Friendship's outburst caused the other Chosen to turn and stare at him in confusion, to see Yamato's livid face as he looked at the other children before focusing his attention on Jijimon. "Who cares about the murals, our crests, or any of this crap? What about the reason we actually came here for!_?_"

Takeru scowled, his jaw clenching. He had been perfectly happy to talk about everything else, _anything_ other than his shoulder. "How many times do I-"

Yamato made a sweeping gesture with his hand, pointing to Takeru. "What's wrong with him!_?_ That's why you called us here, isn't it!_?_"

The Chosen of Hope's scowl deepened. "_Nothing_ is 'wrong' with me!"

"Calm down, kiddo," Jijimon said as he tapped his staff on the ground. "I get why yer concerned, but he's just tainted, not dying."

Yamato paused at that. "Tainted?"

"That's what we call it," Jijimon said. "Whenever you touch the Dark Ocean, it leaves a mark, a _taint_," The Ultimate paused before he eyed Takeru. "Though in this case, I reckon it up and touched _you_, not the other way around."

"I was _ambushed_," Takeru said stiffly. "I didn't _touch_-" The Chosen of Hope paused, as the words 'Dark Ocean' echoed in his mind and immediately brought with it the memory of the dark world he had found himself in. His first thought was naturally of the girl he had met there, but he vaguely remembered there also being a body of water - an ocean. The whole thing felt vague and fuzzy like a dream, with the girl being the only solid memory he had of the place. Still, the sound of waves felt familiar, and even at that moment he could almost hear them echoing in his head. "...Dark Ocean?"

"But Takeru didn't touch any water," Patamon said as he hovered over his Chosen. "It was this weird, gooey creature."

"A weird, gooey creature that was born of the Dark Ocean," Jijimon said. "Or made out of it, if you wanna get all _technical_ about it."

"Made out of the... as in made out of _water_?" Takeru asked, as he furrowed his brow. It reminded him of the sound of water they heard inside the wall, before the creature fell on top of him.

"What, you never made ice before?" Jijimon asked as he tilted his head. "Movin', screamin', psychotic ice?"

"Who cares what it's _made_ out of?" Yamato asked with a wide gesture of his hands, prompting his brother to glance over him with an irritable expression. "I want to know what it's doing to Takeru and how we fix it!"

"Oh, it's doing what you'd expect being touched by the semi-physical form of _death_, _despair_, and _insanity_ would do," Jijimon said, with a shrug. "Makes him _real_ grouchy."

"I am _not_ grouchy!" Takeru snapped, his expression darkening as he clenched his fists. "I'm _sick_ of everyone _nagging_ me and _blowing me off_!"

"We're worried about you,_ I'm_ worried about you!" Yamato shot back, turning to face his little brother. "You're not acting like yourself-"

"How would you even know?!" Takeru demanded, the words coming out in a rush as a swelling of darkness formed in the pit of his stomach. "You ditched _me_ for over _half_ my life-" The Chosen of Hope immediately stopped, his eyes widening as realization of what he said dawned on him. Likewise, the stricken look on Yamato's face confirmed that he truly _had_ said the words, and he didn't just imagine it. Takeru hesitated, then looked down at the ground, his jaw clenching.

"Don't take it personally, he can't help it," Jijimon said as he approached Yamato, his voice soothing. When Takeru lifted his head to glare at the Ultimate, Jijimon met the look with a steel one of his own. "Don't give me that look! It's the truth and you know it! I know damn well what's goin' on in that head of yours, far better than _you_ do! I know for a fact that you didn't mean to say that, so don't even try to pull that crap on me!" When the Chosen of Hope averted his gaze, Jijimon turned back to Yamato, who seemed to be trembling slightly. "Listen, kiddo. You of_ all_ people should know what he's going through right now. It happened to _you_ before, and Love over there."

Yamato paused at that before his eyes widened, the Chosen of Friendship meeting the Ultimate's gaze. "What-?"

"What happened in that cave was between you two and your crests, so I won't go in to that. I'm not in the business of airin' dirty laundry," Jijimon said as he patted Yamato's shoulder. "Besides, this is about your brother, not you. Am I right?"

"What are you-," Yamato began before his eyebrows shot straight up. The mention of Sora and himself in the cave triggered the memory, and at once he remembered back during his first adventure, when he found himself being consumed by his own thoughts - his inner darkness. Thanks to Gabumon, he had managed to escape from the trap he had found himself in - it marked the end of his fight with Taichi and their reunion just before the fight against Piemon. Yamato's eyes immediately went to Sora, who had a similar expression of shock as she too remembered the incident. She had also been in the cave, succumbing to her own dark emotions that she managed to escape with the help of Jou, Yamato, and their Digimon. "How do you know about that!_?_"

"I know a lot of things," Jijimon said, with a flash of his white teeth. "You could say it's my _duty_ to know, an' to give out advice as needed... or confuse the hell outta ya, whatever serves the purpose at the time."

Takeru eyed the Digimon suspiciously before he turned to his brother, frowning. He had no idea what his brother was talking about, which only served to annoy him even more. It seemed his brother was keeping _another_ secret from him. "What-"

"Anyway!" Jijimon said as he slammed his staff on the ground. "Your brother's goin' through something similar to that. Except, instead of bein' his own inherent darkness makin' a mess of his thinking, it's the darkness of thousands of souls... trapped in their own misery. Now, tell me, kid. When you got all the anger, resentment, fear, despair, and paranoia of that many pissed off poltergeists comin' to roost in yer head... what do _you_ think that'll do to you, eh?"

Yamato's eyes widened as his skin went pale. "Y-you're saying..."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Takeru raised his hands as he stormed over to the Ultimate. "Are you saying I'm _possessed_!_?_"

"They'd _like_ that, wouldn't they?" Jijimon said with a snort as he turned to face Takeru. "They'd love nothin' more than to drag one of the Lights right in to hell with 'em. They've been tryin' for years, an' it's no wonder they'd try to increase the eggs in their basket to improve their chances," At Takeru's confused expression, the Ultimate chuckled. "I'm sayin' that all that dark emotion has to go somewhere, and what better place than right in to your head? Molehills become mountains, and soon it feels everyone hates you and nothin's fair, yer totally alone with no one that even cares you exist, and it's just a pain in the ass to even be alive, so why not just kill _yourself_ an' be done with it... an' join them, eh?"

Jijimon's words brought an immediate, intense reaction from the Chosen. Yamato instantly moved to Takeru's side as he barked out a protest, grabbing the stunned Chosen of Hope's arm in a vice.

The other Chosen had similar reactions, shouting out all at once in both concern and protest at what the Digimon had said. Their words flew out in a flurry around Takeru, leaving him feeling dazed and disoriented as he stood silently in place.

Once the Chosen had all reacted and the chaos simmered down, Jijimon simply offered Takeru a gentle smile. "You'll be fine. I think ya got enough people to support you, no matter how _grouchy_ you get."

Takeru hesitated before he nodded numbly.

Sora trembled as she clutched her hands together and held them against her chest. "Why... why would they want that!_?_"

Jijimon turned to Sora, tapping his staff. "Because Hope is Light, just like Courage, Honor, and Kindness. And each of them are the next best thing, next to Light herself." While no one could see his eyes, there was a definite impression that the Ultimate was eying Hikari. "And Light is _life_. They seem to think that if they get their hands on _Light_, they can live again."

"...And they can't?" Sora asked, her voice softening.

Babamon shook her head. "...No. They can't live again if they can't properly die to start with."

"I don't understand," Koshiro said, hesitantly. "What do you mean by that?"

"Apocalymon came from the Dark Ocean," Babamon said. "Do you recall what he said? He was a conglomeration of all the Digimon who died during evolution... an unnatural death."

"Digimon can and _do_ glitch. It's part of what sucks about bein' made of data," Jijimon said as he picked at his ear with his pinkie. "Sometimes our bodies can work it out, other times... well, sucks to be you, y'know? It's why we need to be able to die... it purifies our data, removes glitches, and allows us to keep existing. It's like defragging a computer in your world. And when we can't do that... bad things happen," The Ultimate paused before his voice dropped low. "Very, very bad things."

"Obviously, no one likes to die." Babamon said.

"It's a pain in the ass, literally!" Jijimon added, raising his staff upwards.

Babamon shot her husband a look through her bangs. "...But it's an important part of our existence. As we get older, our data becomes more fragmented and we age - just like humans. Unlike humans, death is transient. We die, then our data is repaired, and we live again... fresh and new, and ready for another chance."

"Exactly!" Jijimon slammed his staff on the ground before he pointed it at the other Digimon. "I mean, look at her! You think she always looked like a shriveled old crone!_?_ Once she kicks the bucket and gets reborn, it'll be Babe City all over again!"

Babamon whirled, lifting her broom to point it at her husband, as if it were a sword. "But you'll still be a stinky old ass, so stuff it!"

"Come and get it, hotstuff!" Jijimon snapped, shaking his staff at her.

Takeru struggled to get his emotions under control as he processed what he had just heard, and what had just happened. It felt like a lot to take in, too surreal, but he imagined that was normal for the Digital World. "So you're saying that... the dead Digimon trapped in the Dark Ocean are trying to come back to life and think that _I_ can help them do that, so they're trying to... kill me? Or make me kill myself?"

"Or mentally break you," Jijimon said, as both Ultimates lowered their weapons again. "Whichever comes first!"

"That's not going to happen!" Yamato growled as he tightened his grip on his brother, as if he were literally holding the Chosen of Hope in the realm of the living. Takeru glanced at his brother but said nothing, though his arm quivered slightly in Yamato's grip. "I won't let it happen!"

"Good, 'cuz yer gonna be a major factor in this battle," Jijimon said. "At least until we can get him cured."

"But he _can_ be cured?" Miyako asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes, though it will take some time," Babamon said, as she shook her head. "But let _us_ deal with that. We'll do what we can, so you should do the same... and keep being a support for Takeru when he needs it."

"We'll talk to 'im, see if we can get 'im to spare any energy to heal ya," Jijimon said. "Though after Factory Town, he may not have anythin' available... at least not for a while yet."

"'Him'?" Takeru asked. "Who's 'him'-?" The rest of Takeru's sentence was lost as the air distorted around him and most of the other Chosen Children, specifically centered on their clothes. What they wore degraded to large blocks of color then changed before gaining resolution and transforming into brand new outfits. It happened in a matter of seconds, transforming his casual clothes into the leather outfit he wore last time they came to the Digital World.

Once Takeru got over the initial disorientation of the change, he looked to his shoulder, searching for the hole that had been there last time. To his surprise, bright strips of yellow with the words "KEEP OUT" repeating in black block caps crisscrossed the place where the hole used to be, like police tape marking off the border of a crime scene.

Koshiro jerked in surprise at the transformation. "What the…?"

"The hell?" Yamato muttered after seeing Takeru's sudden change in attire. He glanced down at himself, only to feel a pang of disappointment at seeing only his ordinary school uniform, minus his jacket, completely unaltered. "My clothes didn't change."

"Same here," Taichi said, as his school uniform was also similarly intact.

Sora stared at Takeru and the others who had their clothes altered, such as Hikari and Iori, before taking the time to look herself over. At first, she was certain that her school uniform hadn't changed either, when she noticed something amiss, and it wasn't just the fact that Yamato's jacket had disappeared. She hesitated for a moment before lifting her skirt just enough to see that she was now wearing shorts, and not just any shorts but shorts identical to those from her old soccer uniform. "W-what?"

"Awesome!" Daisuke shouted as he tugged lightly on his flame print jacket. "I'm back in my–"

A loud feminine shriek shaped like a very unladylike curse cut Daisuke off and turned his attention to Miyako. Her clothes were not the frilly sailor-inspired dress with heels and jewelry that she appeared in during their previous mission, but what she wore now was no less striking. The new outfit left not a hair or inch of skin visible, as she was covered in a lavender bodysuit marked with strange black and white designs, with matching boots and gloves. Viciously, she yanked at an oversized helmet adorned with outlandish designs and a large black visor that completely hid her face. If it wasn't for her angry shouting, she would have been completely unrecognizable. "What the _Hell!_"

Daisuke stared at Miyako for a full ten seconds before he let out a deep belly laugh. "Hey, it's the Class Rep Ranger!"

"Really funny, Motomiya!" Miyako practically snarled, her voice sounding strangely distorted through the helmet. "If you're done making fun, you can make yourself _useful_ and help me get this off!"

Iori, who had been standing dutifully beside Miyako, was quick to assist his friend, although it was clear that he was struggling to keep a straight face. His outfit had also changed, though it was back to the samurai outfit from the previous day. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no clasps to the helmet, and it was molded to end at her neck, preventing it from being pulled off. "Are you all right?"

Miyako shot Iori a warning look when she caught his expression before she glared daggers at Daisuke and anyone else who dared to throw even a snicker in her direction. Unfortunately, the effect was lost behind the black visor. "I _was_ fine until the Digital World decided to turn me into a dress up doll. _Again!_"

Palmon frowned as she looked at the other Chosen, then up at Mimi. "Your outfit didn't change, either, Mimi…"

Mimi looked down at her clothes and let out a disappointed noise that was nearly a whine. "Again?"

"Neither did Koshiro's." Tentomon said as he hovered near his partner.

Koshiro frowned as he looked over his clothes. "That's really strange. They changed before, but now they're not. I wonder why that is…"

"That's… weird," Takeru said as he looked at his shoulder, then glanced around. "Why did the outfits change for some people, and not others?"

Miyako let out a grumble laced with colorful language.

"It happened so suddenly, too," Sora muttered as she straightened out the hem of her school uniform.

Taichi tugged at his goggles, which were identical to the ones on Daisuke's head. "Huh." He looked Sora over and blinked. "Wait, weren't you wearing a dress last time?"

Sora nodded as she fidgeted with the hem of her uniform. "It completely changed my clothes last time. This time… it just gave me my old soccer shorts – though they're big enough to fit now."

"It'd be nice to know why this keeps happening," Yamato muttered, then eyed his own outfit. "Or doesn't happen."

A strangled cry drew immediate attention to Jou, who was flailing about in a panic, fistfuls of fabric clenched tightly in his shaking hands. It seemed as though his school uniform had aged a century, the cloth frayed at the edges with countless holds everywhere, half covered with mismatched patches with badly done stitching. When the cloth started to tear in his grasp, he let it go, trembling all over as a sheen of sweat began to glisten on his skin. "N-no, no, no, no, _no_! What-what-what… _what happened to my uniform?_!"

Mimi gasped, but quickly hid her stunned reaction behind a thin smile, as inside she cringed at the damage to Jou's uniform. "It's okay, Jou," Mimi said, trying her best to sound soothing and mostly succeeding. "It's not that bad. You can just uh… um…" She trailed off awkwardly.

Jou whipped his head about to look at the others, desperation in his eyes. "W-what am I going to do? Is this permanent_?_!" He looked back down at himself and let out a high-pitched sound that was almost a cry. "I-I can't go to school like this!"

"Calm down, Jou," Koshiro said as he approached his friend. "Don't worry. Our clothes will turn back to normal the minute we return to the real world."

Jou tried to calm his rapid breathing as he looked at Koshiro, a faint hint of fog at the bottom of the lenses of his glasses. "A-are you sure?"

"Oh, I know!" Mimi said before removing Taichi's jacket from around her waist. "You can wear this for a while!"

Jou hesitated staring at the jacket as though expecting it to turn into ashes if he touched it. With a shaky hand, he took the offered jacket and weakly smiled at Mimi, trying not to look as though he was choking back a scream. "T-thank you…"

"Don't worry about it," Mimi said brightly. "Just remember to give it back to Taichi when we get back home."

Iori looked around at the others, fighting hard to keep a firm grip on the laughter that tried to escape him every time he looked at Miyako. "I take it that this is not normal for the Digital World?"

Jijimon let out a loud snort as he rapped his staff against the floor. "Who the hell decides what's normal? I sure didn't vote for no one."

"Not that you're one to talk about normal," Babamon said.

"Back at cha, you old biddy, " Jijimon said. "I think only Miss Digital Ranger over there has any business bitchin' anyway."

Miyako put her hands on her hips. "You're darn right!"

"This is very strange," Koshiro said. "Usually this phenomenon happens as soon as we appear in the Digital World. I assumed it had something to do with the transition, but why would it happen after we've been here for a while?" He turned to Jijimon and Babamon. "Do either of you have any ideas?"

"It's that cosplay fetishist Digimon Kaiser," Miyako said snidely. "He made a program that can change our clothes to whatever he wants. Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't put us all in cheesecake outfits like he did to me last time."

"The Kaiser Kiddo already explained to you why it's happening. The fact that you don't like the answer doesn't mean it ain't true," Jijimon said. "If he could control what you were wearing, you bet your ass Light over there wouldn't be wearing that dress."

Taichi blinked. "Huh?" He looked Hikari over, who was back in the white dress. "What do you mean? It looks okay to me."

Hikari only briefly looked up before returning her gaze to her attire. The dress felt ominous somehow, and memories of her dream and the dark girl made her feel uneasy. She looked at some of the patterns faintly stitched to the dress and realized they were similar to some of the glyphs in the mural. She focused briefly on the Crest of Light before removing her hairclip and verifying what she already knew – it was the same symbol. Slowly, she scanned the mural, until she found a crest that matched the hairclip the dark girl wore.

It seemed obvious to Hikari that the crest she was looking for was the large one close to the window depicting a night sky. The symbol was made up of multiple crescent moons and a small circle, arranged so that the negative space in-between were shaped like crescents as well. Friendship and Love were connected to this crest, as well as two new ones shaped like a comet and a flame respectively.

"There's no denying it," Jijimon's voice came from near Hikari, causing her to jump slightly and turn to see that the Ultimate was right beside her. He wasn't looking at her, but instead at the crests on the floor. His voice was soft, as if he were speaking only to the Chosen of Light. "If he had any say in what you wore, that outfit would be the _last_ thing he'd allow you to wear."

"Do you know something?" Takeru asked as he approached the Ultimate and Hikari. "You do, don't you?"

Jijimon paused, then tapped his staff on the ground before he pointed towards the smaller crests each in turn. "An' over here, we got Friendship, Love," he gestured to the comet, "Pride," his staff pointed at the flame, "an' Passion."

Taichi frowned. "Hey, you skipped one."

Jijimon paused at that, then let out a low cough. "Is that so."

Daisuke looked at the unnamed crest and cocked his head. "So, what's this, the Crest of Night or something?"

The pieces clicked in place, and Hikari knew exactly what the symbols meant. "It's the Crest of D–"

"That would be the Crest of _Darkness_." a voice echoed through the temple, familiar in all its haughtiness. The other Chosen whirled about to see the Digimon Kaiser standing in the doorway to the temple, with Witchmon and FlaWizarmon to either side of him. He smirked at the other Chosen, idly toying with his whip. "Not that it's any of _your_ business."

"You!" Yamato growled as he clenched his fists, glaring at the younger boy. "You've got a lot of nerve, showing your face!"

"I could say the same to you," the Digimon Kaiser said, his lips curling in to a sneer. "You really can't take a hint, can you? I would think that the whole ordeal at Factory Town would've made it _abundantly_ clear that you are in over your heads and that you'd best get out now before you _drown_. But I suppose there's no helping _stupidity_."

"If you think you can scare us, you're wrong," Takeru said as he crossed his arms. "We've faced far worse than a brat in a leotard."

"Big words from someone who needed a Digital God to save you," the Digimon Kaiser said with a snort. "I'm surprised you didn't wet yourself."

Daisuke grabbed his Digivice, readying himself for battle. "What the heck are you doing here!_?_"

"How did you find us out here?" Koshiro asked, alarmed.

Witchmon let out a soft 'tsk' and wagged her finger. "You're not the only one with friends with connections, clever boy."

"Yo, Baba, Jiji," FlaWizarmon said as he saluted at the two Ultimates, pressing two fingers to his forehead before flicking them outward. "Lookin' good!"

"Damn right I do!" Jijimon said before he pointed his staff past the Chosen at the newly arrived Digimon. His voice sounded rough, though there was obvious amusement hidden among the gruffness. "So keep yer eyes off my wife, ya philanderer!"

FlaWizarmon laughed as he crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall. "_Philanderer_? Me? Jiji, I'm hurt~!"

Witchmon flew in, covering her mouth with one of her large hands with a giggle. "Don't be silly. FlaWizarmon would _never_ think of breaking up the Digital World's cutest couple."

"I hope this is a _peaceful_ visit," Babamon said. "It'd be a shame to start a fight in here."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Witchmon said, flashing her teeth in an overly wide smile.

The Digimon Kaiser glanced over to Jijimon and Babamon, his mouth turning in to a thin line before he returned his attention to the Chosen. "You really _are_ an idiot if you think I don't know where you are at all times."

"But how…?" Koshiro's voice trailed off, his eyes widening in realization. "A Digital Gate!"

The Digimon Kaiser gave Koshiro a flat look. "You're supposed to be the Chosen of Knowledge, and yet it never dawned on you that I could track Digital Gates?"

The realization was like a lead weight resting at the bottom of Koshiro's stomach. "Track our… You can't mean that you…"

Daisuke gawked at the tyrant. "You mean while Senpai and the others were watching us through the Digital Gates, you were watching us with them too?"

Miyako huffed. "He said _track_, not _use_. He must have a program to tell him where and when we're coming into the Digital World." She turned to Hikari. "And we led him right to us."

Hikari cringed, horrified by the idea that she was the reason the Digimon Kaiser had found the temple.

The Digimon Kaiser arched an eyebrow before he lifted a hand, first holding up one finger. "One, I did indeed say _tracking_. Ever since you _insects_ kept coming _back_, I made it a point to know where you've been and when, so I know about every excursion you have _ever_ done." Another finger came up. "Two, this temple is no _secret_. I knew about it before any of _you_ did." He lifted a third finger. "Three, I don't 'need a program' to do it. All I have to do is read the Digital World's log of all gating activity and it lists it _right there_. It's not complicated, _certainly_ not for a _genius_, and even your supposed _Chosen of Knowledge_ should have been able to do it if he had even _half_ the brain cells that his _crest_ would _suggest_," A fourth finger came up as he turned to Daisuke, a broad smile on his face. "Four, thank you for the _lovely_ idea. I should've thought of it earlier, so I could've seen their faces at my monster instead of just blocking them out entirely."

"Nice going, Motomiya," Miyako muttered.

"But that's…" Koshiro faltered, wanting to say that what the Digimon Kaiser claimed was impossible, but he knew that it was. If he could do it, then so could the boy who could crack the Digital World's code better than him.

Taichi scowled and stepped forward. "Just what was that monster anyway?"

"And what did it do to Takeru?" Yamato asked.

Takeru bristled, shooting Yamato a glare. "I _told_ you–"

"I don't recall saying that was any of your business," the Digimon Kaiser said, crossing his arms. "_Nor_ do I recall inviting you back in to the Digital World for this little excursion – especially not with all this _dead weight_."

Taichi's expression contorted with confusion. "Dead weight?"

"That's what you are, isn't it?" The Digimon Kaiser asked, as his smile widened. "_Dead weight_. An _anchor_ around your dear younger sibling's _neck_."

The insinuation was like a stab to Taichi and he glared daggers into the Digimon Kaiser, his hands curling into fists. "You have a lot of nerve saying that when you're the one who stole Agumon and the others from us!"

"Damn right!" Yamato snapped as he clenched a fist. "You're seriously asking for it!"

"How can you say… how can you _do_ such things?" Sora asked as she gripped her Digivice.

"Where's Gomamon?" Jou stepped forward, more panicked than aggressive. "G-give him back!"

"It's your own fault," the Digimon Kaiser said. "You're the ones who threw them away. You're supposed to be the veterans, the _senpai_ that us younger children look up to. There's no excuse for what you did, for not _thinking_ and leaving your Digimon in an enemy world without any means of protecting themselves. Be thankful _I_ found them and not _someone else_," The young man snorted as he tapped his whip against his arm. "They're _alive_, which is more than you deserve to know."

"Don't give me that garbage!" Yamato snarled, his hands clenching tightly in to fists. While the Kaiser was saying something he too had thought many times, he wasn't about to accept the words from the tyrant. He of all people had no right to say such things. "How were we supposed to know–"

"_How were they supposed to evolve without you there?_!" the Digimon Kaiser demanded, his expression fierce as he lashed his whip on the floor, though it caused no damage to the mural. He rushed forward to Yamato and slammed the hilt of his whip in the other boy's chest, causing the Chosen of Friendship to jerk back. "Have they _ever_ evolved without you near before_?_!"

The Chosen of Friendship flinched, stunned both by the Kaiser's question and the way he asked it. He stepped back slightly. "I… that's…"

"You're supposed to take care of them! What were they supposed to do!_?_" the Digimon Kaiser continued as he jabbed Yamato in the chest with his whip, following the older boy step by step. "_What the hell were they supposed to do without you?_!"

Yamato opened his mouth and then closed it, staring in bewilderment at the explosion of outrage on the Digimon Kaiser's face. He could faintly see the other boy's dark eyes through the goggles, boring in to his own in accusation. The Chosen of Friendship grimaced, then looked away.

A heavy silence settled into the temple, broken only by the Digimon Kaiser's heavy breathing as he glared murderously at the gathered Chosen Children.

Haltingly, Hikari took a step forward towards the tyrant. "What happened to you?"

The Digimon Kaiser whirled about to face Hikari, his entire body rigid. His breathing was still rough, his eyes a bit wild as he gripped his whip tightly and snapped it between his hands, the piercing sound emphasizing each snap. He stared hard at Hikari, then turned sharply on his heels, storming away from the Chosen back towards the entrance. "Nothing happened! Not a _damn_ thing!"

Takeru stepped forward, gesturing towards his brother with a wave of his hand. "You seriously expect us to believe–"

"I didn't come here for _this_!" the Digimon Kaiser barked, snapping his whip down against the floor. Once again, the attack did nothing to the mural, which remained unharmed.

Taichi stepped between Hikari and the Digimon Kaiser, wary of the whip. "So why _did_ you come here?"

Daisuke raised his fist in the air, his hand clutching his Digivice. "If you're looking for a fight, you've got it."

Babamon rapped her broom sharply against the floor, the sound ringing through the temple. "Enough." Though the volume of her voice never rose, the authority she held commanded the others' attention. "There will be no fighting today. Not here."

"Oh, don't mind K-chan," Witchmon said, flashing a wide smile. "He's just a little upset that the other children keep making so many mistakes. You know what a sweetie he is, always thinking of others."

Miyako made a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and laughter. "Oh _please_."

FlaWizarmon moved to place himself between the Chosen and the Digimon Kaiser, leaning over to obscure the boy's face. The sound of the Digimon's voice could barely be heard, far too quiet to make out any actual words. The Digimon Kaiser himself gave no verbal response, standing rigidly as he fiddled with his whip. After a moment, FlaWizarmon stepped back and the Digimon Kaiser regarded the Chosen Children, composed once more.

"...I came to make sure that you _two_ don't do anything _stupid_," the Digimon Kaiser said, as he looked pointedly to Jijimon and Babamon.

"Too late," Babamon chuckled. "This lunkhead of mine did at least a dozen stupid things before breakfast alone."

"The only stupid thing I did was not lockin' you in the dungeon, ya nosy hag." Jijimon retorted as he cleaned his ear with his pinkie.

The Digimon Kaiser's expression was deadpanned. "Can you stop flirting for _five_ minutes?"

Taichi had an odd look on his face. "_That's_ what you call flirting?"

"You _would_ think that about fighting," Miyako said snidely.

"Actually, I think he's right," Mimi said, feeling strange about agreeing with the Digimon Kaiser on anything.

"We all go _way_ back," FlaWizarmon said, with a wide grin. "An' it's just as _feisty_ as it's always been. It's nice to see some things never change."

"Hah, she's changed plenty!" Jijimon spat as he waved his staff around. "Her hair, her clothes, but she can't change her face and that's the problem!"

The Digimon Kaiser rolled his eyes as he let out a heavy sigh. "Seriously…"

"Very well," Babamon said. "We'll stop lightening the mood and let you get on with what you have to say." She poked Jijimon with her broom. "_Won't_ we, Darling?"

"I reckon," Jijimon said. "Though I suspect I already _know_ what he wants to say."

"I want to make certain you're not going to give that _one_ the Digimental of Light," the Digimon Kaiser said, his voice rough.

Hikari jerked. "What? Why?"

Takeru stared at the Digimon Kaiser. "The Digimental of Light… _here_?" He paused then whirled to look at the three altars at the center of the room, which were noticeably empty. His eyes widened with realization. "Those altars… of course!"

Koshiro looked from the altar to the mural, his eyes widening with realization. "That's it! This is the temple for the Digimentals of the DigiGods!"

Daisuke narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I get it. You're trying to stop us from getting anymore Digimentals."

"Wait a second," Miyako said. "I get it now." She pointed an accusing finger at the evil dictator. "The Digimon Kaiser must be the Crest of Darkness! He knows your light kicked the butt of Apocalymon, and it was made from darkness, so he's trying to keep us from getting his one weakness!"

Daisuke gave Miyako an odd look. "Wait, you're taking what that guy said seriously? Earth to Inoe, darkness is _evil_, remember? Why would one of the crests be evil like that?"

Miyako faltered and, for a moment, felt grateful for her helmet as it hid her flushed cheeks. "Well… that's…"

The Digimon Kaiser's cheek twitched and he turned to glare at Daisuke. "I'm _honored_, but perhaps you should know what you're talking about before you start _running your mouth_. More than that, the fact that you'd even say that after Narakumon went to the trouble of _intervening_ for _your_ sake… you insects truly are _incapable_ of gratitude. I really shouldn't be sur–" The Digimon Kaiser continued to turn his head to face Miyako, then paused with a jerk. After a moment of silence, he turned to fully face Miyako, as if getting his first good look at her. His eyes widened as he surveyed up and down Miyako's attire, his eyes coming to a stop on the masked helmet.

Miyako noticed the scrutiny and felt her muscles tense with dread. "Don't you dare."

The Digimon Kaiser opened his mouth before he quickly clamped a hand over it, attempting to stifle a laugh. Instead, it came out simply as a chuckling snort.

Miyako clenched her fists until they ached, her entire body twitching with rage. "Shut up! You're just doing this to spite me and you know it!"

The Digimon Kaiser turned as his entire body quivered with repressed laughter. After a moment, he spun about and struck a pose, crouching as he stuck his arms out wide to the side, one higher than the other. "Digimon Ranger Otaku-chan!" he announced, with a very authoritative voice, before he smirked. "If you and your friends merge together, will you form a giant robot?"

Miyako let out a strangled scream of outrage and stomped forward. "_You're_ the reason I keep ending up in these ridiculous outfits you stupid b–" A hand on her shoulder stopped her from moving forward and she shot a glare at Iori who held her fast, though her visor made it impossible to see her expression.

The Digimon Kaiser barked out a laugh as he straightened up. "Oh, that's right. It's _entirely_ my fault and _not_ because of _you_. If that's how you want to see it, by all means, _Otaku_-chan."

Miyako shook her fist at the Digimon Kaiser. "Don't you dare blame me because of the stupid cosplay program _you_ invented!"

"Between the _senpai_, you treating this like a stupid anime, Goggle-kun over there thinking this is a video game, and that _one_, it's no wonder you're here begging for a miracle," the Digimon Kaiser said as he waved his hand dismissively, walking back towards FlaWizarmon and Witchmon. He stopped before he glanced over his shoulder at Jijimon and Babamon, his mirth disappearing in an instant. "But I'd like to think that after everything that's happened, you two would know better."

Jijimon tapped his staff against the floor, but didn't immediately respond.

"Ah," Babamon said, her voice light. "I see. So that's what this is about." She sighed. "Well, you needn't worry about _us_ trying to move them."

Koshiro shot Babamon a confused look. "Them?"

Taichi frowned at Babamon and Jijimon. "Wait, you're not thinking of _cooperating_ with him and keep Hikari from getting her Digimental are you?"

Babamon let out a breath like a failed attempt at laughter. "Sorry, children, but regardless of what anyone here wants, the Digimental of Light is needed elsewhere right now."

Hikari could feel Babamon and Jijimon's eyes turn to her and a terrible suspicion started to form. She pushed it aside for now, hoping that she was wrong, and focused instead on the Digimon Kaiser. "What happened during the battle with Millenniumon?" She paused only briefly when she saw the fallen Chosen Child flinch. "I haven't been able to talk to Tenraimon since before that battle, and that was the last time we saw Gennai or Ryo. You were there, weren't you? You were part of Ryo's group, so you must know what–"

"That's none of your business," the Digimon Kaiser growled, gripping his whip as a slight tremor ran up his spine. "_You_ of _all_ people have no business talking about them, so just shut your mouth and stay out of it!"

Hikari glanced briefly down at her dress then looked back up at the Digimon Kaiser, who stubbornly avoided looking directly at her. He always looked away from her, and she knew exactly why. "Keiko gave me this dress."

The Digimon Kaiser twitched, his grip tightening on his whip. He pulled it between his hands as his jaw clenched. "She didn't give you a damn thing. That dress is _your_ doing, and nothing else!"

It was a small victory for Hikari when the Digimon Kaiser finally looked at her, truly seeing her for the first time. She stepped out from behind Taichi so that they could finally look at each other face to face. She could feel the hatred in his gaze through the dark lenses of his glasses, stabbing her like a thousand needles. It only served to strengthen her resolve, her hand moving to touch her hairclip. "I met her… Keiko."

Taichi stared at his little sister with wide eyes. "What? When?"

"She's trapped someplace and needs us to save her." Hikari said, keeping her focus on the Digimon Kaiser lest she lose the momentum slowly building inside her. She would not waste this opportunity. Instead, she gestured down to her dress. "My clothes are proof. She's the reason why I'm wearing this dress, because it's just like hers, except hers is black…" Her gaze drifted down to the mural as she held out her hairclip above the crest made up of moons. "…And this is in the shape of her crest."

The Digimon Kaiser's entire body began to twitch, from his jaw and cheek down to his hands as they clutched his whip so hard that it creaked. He grit his teeth, baring them at Hikari them like a feral animal while glaring at Hikari as if his very eyes could rip her apart. "Shut up…"

Hikari met the Digimon Kaiser's gaze unflinchingly. "Keiko is the Chosen Child of Darkness."

Confusion ran rampant among the Chosen, as no one knew what to make of Hikari's declaration. Even Tailmon seemed surprised before her expression hardened.

"Wait," Daisuke said. "Don't tell me you're buying that Darkness is a real crest too, Hikari-chan." He glanced over at the Digimon Kaiser. "Though… I guess darkness could've corrupted it, but it'd be that jerk's, not anyone else's."

Sora furrowed her brow, uncertain how to feel. "Are you sure, Hikari?"

"Did Tenraimon…?" Koshiro's voice trailed off, letting the question hang in the air.

Hikari's gaze never wavered from the Digimon Kaiser. What lingering doubts remained vanished when she saw his expression and the stony faces of Witchmon and FlaWizarmon at his sides. "Something terrible has happened to Keiko, and she's been calling to me for help. She's trapped someplace… a world where everything is dark, dead, and empty. I'm sure of it!"

The quaking of the Digimon Kaiser's body increased. "Shut up…" His voice was as taut as his body, the words eking out of him as little more than a hint of breath.

"She's been trying to contact us all this time," Hikari said, her heart constricting. "Maybe even since you started taking over the Digital World. She needs our help, and if you care about her at all, y–"

Time slowed down for one instant as the crack of a whip turned Hikari's words into a cry. A line of pain seared across her face, sending her reeling back before she collapsed to the floor.

In that instant, all hell broke loose.

"Hikari!" Taichi shouted, the cry echoed by nearly every Chosen in the temple. He raced to his sister's side as fear flooded his veins like ice.

Tailmon reached Hikari first, breaking her partner's fall before Hikari could hit the ground. The amount of blood she saw on Hikari's face sent Tailmon's heart racing. The feline Digimon examined the red-eyed girl and was both relieved and infuriated to see a thin red line that started from her temple and ended halfway down her cheek, missing her eye by centimeters. The cut was shallow and probably wouldn't leave a scar, but it was the location of the injury that was the issue. Tailmon knew from personal experience that injuries to the face tended to bleed heavily.

The lingering relief lasted only as long as a breath before Tailmon could feel the rage bubbling up inside her, overpowering it. The sight of Hikari covered in blood was something out of her worst nightmares. Though her paws remained on her Chosen Child, she turned to the Digimon Kaiser, bearing her fangs. "Bastard!"

The rest of the Chosen Digimon moved quickly, placing themselves between their Chosen Child and the Digimon Kaiser, bracing themselves for battle.

Hatred tore a guttural cry from Daisuke's throat, something more beastly than human. He charged at the Digimon Kaiser with a cocked fist and murder in his eyes, a look similarly shared by V-mon as the dragon Digimon followed suit. Takeru was by his side stride for stride, feet moving almost of their own accord. Although the Chosen of Hope was utterly silent, his expression was dark, reflecting an overwhelming urge to make the Digimon Kaiser pay for every drop of Hikari's blood spilled. Patamon was quick on his heels, his chubby face twisted in an equally livid expression.

The Digimon Kaiser's composure was gone, leaving behind a shrieking boy with wild eyes hidden behind dark lenses. His whip cracked the air again, but it did nothing to deter the two boys charging towards him. "Shut up, shut up, shut up, _shut up_!"

Takeru reached the Digimon Kaiser first, only for the whip to lash him in the shoulder right at the heart of the police tape. The pain was sharp and bit into his skin, but the aftershock of the strike resounded deeper than that, causing his entire body to shudder. All sound died away around him like a radio going to static, the voices around him becoming muted as he fell to his knees. He was only vaguely aware of Patamon receiving the back-end of the whip strike, the Digimon Kaiser flicking the whip quickly to nail his partner with the second _crack_ and causing the flying Digimon to fall to the ground with a yelp.

The Digimon Kaiser had no time to bring the whip back around on Daisuke, who was already within arm's reach. Just as the goggle boy's fist was about to collide with his head, the Digimon Kaiser struck his knee upward into Daisuke's stomach.

Daisuke crumpled around the leg that struck him, his breath coming out in a pained 'whoosh' of air. He fell to the ground, only for the Digimon Kaiser's boot to strike his side with enough force to send him tumbling back towards the others. For a moment, he could only lie down on the ground choking down air even as the pain made him cough it back up again.

V-mon was on the Digimon Kaiser in an instant. He had been by Daisuke's side in the attack and the sight of his partner in pain sent him over the edge. With a snarl, the dragon lunged at the leg that dared to strike Daisuke and sunk his teeth into the metal cuff that surrounded the Digimon Kaiser's ankle. He felt the metal crumple in his jaw and tasted the tang of copper in his mouth.

The Digimon Kaiser howled and slammed his foot against the floor in spite of the pain, shaking V-mon loose. His whip sang through the air again and struck V-mon repeatedly, leaving several lines across the Digimon's body as red as his face, before he struck V-mon hard enough to send the dragon tumbling back to join his Chosen Child.

For one terrible moment, Yamato was racked with indecision, torn between a vicious fury that demanded he strike the Digimon Kaiser and his concern for Takeru. The indecision lasted for only a second before he raced to his little brother's side. "Takeru! Are you okay_?_!"

Takeru clenched his jaw until his teeth hurt, but the pain was paltry compared to his shoulder, which felt as though it had been perforated with a thousand needles. He shook away the worried hand reaching for him as his own clenched into a fist. His breathing came as ragged hisses and he struggled to speak even as he tried pushing himself back to his feet. "F-f-fine… I'm–"

"The hell you are!" Yamato snapped along with his temper. He glared down Takeru's defiant gaze, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, unwilling to bend to his little brother.

Takeru hesitated, his breathing labored, before he lowered his head slightly, his bangs casting a shadow across his eyes as he wrenched his gaze away from his big brother. Reluctantly he gave up fighting against the pain and sat down, but his entire being quaked from not only the horrible ache running through him, but black feelings of frustration and rage.

"You…" Taichi struggled to form words to convey how he felt. When Sora and Jou arrived to help Hikari, he rose to his feet and took two steps towards the Digimon Kaiser. "You're not getting away with this!"

V-mon was back on his feet quickly despite his wounds, standing crouched with claws flexing at his sides, ready to fight. "Daisuke! Evolve me to Fladramon!"

Daisuke, unfortunately, could barely focus on what his partner was saying as he struggled to even his breathing. Even with Mimi and Koshiro helping him sit up, his chest still ached with every breath and cough he made.

Despite seeing so many fall to the Digimon Kaiser, Miyako stepped forward, angry and indignant. However, before she could even formulate the words she wanted to speak, the Chosen was cut off by a sudden burst of fire that detonated right in front of her face. She cried out in surprise and backed up as Iori quickly put himself between her and the blaze, gripping his bokken.

All of the Chosen Children found themselves silenced by the raging inferno in front of them. Smoldering flames lashed out, dancing about as they crept across the floor, though oddly causing no damage to the mural despite the intense heat. It was enough to even cause the Digimon Kaiser to pause, staring as the swirling vortex of fire came between him and the other children.

FlaWizarmon stood in the center of the flames, no longer smiling. His expression was stern as he held his hand out, revealing it to be the source of the fire. "That's enough, y'hear? No more."

Witchmon moved to the Digimon Kaiser's side. "Are you okay, K-chan?"

The Digimon Kaiser stood stiffly, gripping his whip as he remained on both feet despite the blood trickling from his injured ankle, soaking his pant leg and dripping on the floor. He didn't look at Witchmon, keeping his gaze distant. "...I'm _fine_."

Takeru grit his teeth as he glared through the fire at the Digimon Kaiser. He wanted to snarl at the boy, to make him pay for striking Hikari. He wanted to say _something_ at the very least, but his body simply wouldn't cooperate. The pain was paralyzing, resonating deep within his senses. Even breathing was difficult, making each pant _ache_.

Thankfully, he didn't need to say anything. Instead, Yamato furiously faced the younger boy, getting as close to the fire as he dared. "You really think you can just attack Hikari and Takeru and get away with it?!"

The Digimon Kaiser turned to face Yamato's anger, his own face a mask of barely restrained rage. "...I think I can do whatever I damn well please."

Jou fumbled with the gauze in his hands, attempting to stop the bleeding. While the injury wasn't severe in and of itself, the location guaranteed that it would bleed heavily. Applying pressure with the gauze, he focused instead on bandaging Hikari's face. "I-it's... it's fine, it's fine." He said, more to himself than anyone else. "I-it didn't hit your eyes, i-it's just a thin line... i-it just looks worse than it is-" the Chosen of Honesty was cut off when Hikari's hand reached out to touch his shoulder. He stared as Hikari fumbled to her feet, her eyes surprisingly focused and firm despite the bloodied injury between them. "W-wait, Hikari-!_?_"

"Please," Hikari said, her soft voice underlined with a surprising amount of strength. "Keiko has been begging me for help every night. She's trapped in the Dark World. Please help me save her."

The Digimon Kaiser bared his teeth, flashing his white teeth as a tremor ran up his spine. "You. You have _no_ idea what you're talking about... to say that to my face...!" The boy lashed his whip again, the weapon issuing out a large crack. "Don't talk about Kei-about the _Dark World_ like you know anything about it! Especially when you, _you_ of _all_ people, are falling for its usual tricks!"

"What do you mean by that?" Hikari asked.

The Digimon Kaiser snorted as he pulled his whip tight with his hands. "It'll do or say whatever it thinks will work on you, take whatever form it thinks you'll respond the best to, and you're _falling for it_!"

"But I never met Keiko before," Hikari said. "I only know it's her because of _you_. If the Dark World is trying to trick me, why would it show me someone I don't know?"

The caped tyrant immediately went quiet at that, hesitating.

FlaWizarmon and Witchmon glanced at each other, their neutral expressions not revealing any of their thoughts. They then both glanced over to Jijimon and Babamon, who were standing quietly nearby. It was impossible to tell through the hair, but both elder Digimon seemed rather stone-faced as well.

Hikari held her hands over her chest. "I don't doubt the Dark World is giving me nightmares..." A faint tremor ran through her body. "I'll never forget the feeling when the ocean..." She faltered for a moment before steeling her nerves, getting her mind back on topic. "I know how... _insane_ it is. How full of despair and hopelessness... and Keiko doesn't feel that way. She's the only thing that feels _real_ and I know she _needs_ our help!" She held out her hand to the Digimon Kaiser. "_Please_... even if you don't believe me, please at least tell me what happened to her. I know there must be _some_ way to rescue her."

The Digimon Kaiser trembled as he snapped his whip with his hands, pulling it light before letting it go limp and then tight again in quick succession. The sound echoed for several moments before he finally stopped the gesture. "...I-"

"I've got it!" Miyako suddenly shouted. "I've figured out why you keep acting so weird about Keiko! _You're_ the one who did it!" She pointed at the Digimon Kaiser. "You trapped her in the Dark World, didn't you?"

Hikari jerked and stared at Miyako. "What?"

The Digimon Kaiser similarly jerked, as if he had been physically struck, and dropped his whip so that it fell to the ground and clattered against the floor.

"Think about it," Miyako said with conviction. "_This_ is the guy who is using literal liquid crazy to make _monsters_ that pretend to be people we know and try to take us to the Dark World! He did it to Takeru in Factory Town, and he probably did it to Keiko too! He's the one who's using it to create those mind controlling rings to enslave the Digimon and can flood the Digital World with towers made of the stuff whenever he wants! Keiko and maybe Ryo and who knows else figured out his plan, and he sent them to the Dark World!"

Takeru glared at the Digimon Kaiser, his hand covering his shoulder. While the pain was still there, it had dulled enough that it was quickly becoming a secondary emotion. Miyako's words brought to mind the image of the fake Angemon writhing as he died in front of Takeru, melting slowly while pleading for help. The very suggestion that such a thing had been done _intentionally_ by the Digimon Kaiser filled him with a burning _hatred_ that only served to fuel the anger already inside him.

Koshiro shivered as he remembered the way the monster had called out to him, even though he couldn't quite understand what it had been attempting to do. "That's true. That monster tried to lure me and Tailmon in."

Miyako kept her finger pointed directly at the Digimon Kaiser. "You beat, torture, and brainwash innocent Digimon _for fun_. You sent those monsters after us _for fun_! I don't buy that crap that your lackeys were trying to feed us about it being for 'the greater good' or whatever. If that was true, then why were you having so much fun _torturing us and the Digimon_?"

Daisuke wheezed as he slowly sat up, rubbing where the Digimon Kaiser had kicked him. "I hate to agree with Inoe, but..." He looked over at Hikari, wincing at how the cut on her face continued to bleed, painting a long red line along her cheek that dribbled down and created a stain on her white dress. His eyes narrowed before he fixed the dictator with a glare. "You kidnapped senpai and the others' Digimon and had them come after us. You had Takeru's own partner beat him up!"

Patamon flinched at the reminder, his body tensing, and his eyes narrowing. "You made us beat Tailmon within an inch of her life. You beat Palmon mercilessly and made her attack us!"

"You're hurting our friends right now!" Palmon agreed, scowling despite the tears in her eyes.

"And don't think we've forgotten what you did to Hikari just now," Tailmon growled, her ears canting back.

"And Daisuke!" V-mon added, baring his teeth at the Digimon Kaiser.

The Digimon Kaiser didn't respond, instead his fingers simply twitching as he stared at Miyako. Beside him, fury was naked on both FlaWizarmon and Witchmon's faces, marring their usually jovial expressions.

"He had nothing to do with it!" FlaWizarmon said, with a wide sweep of his arm as the wall of fire responded with a flash and a flutter around him. "He did _nothing_ wrong!"

Daisuke let out a snort. "Are you kidding me?"

"You're not exactly credible here," Miyako said. "Either you're just fine with the Digimon Kaiser pulling all this crap or you're his mind controlled puppets."

Witchmon tugged her collar down to expose her naked neck. "Or we could be, I don't know, dear K-chan's _friends_?"

FlaWizarmon made a display of pulling down the collar to his jacket as well, displaying his neck. "It wouldn't work on us, anyway."

Jou adjusted his glasses as he stared, then turned to glance at the other Chosen. "I-I... I don't see anything...!"

Mimi's expression contorted. "How can you just go along with all the horrible things the Digimon Kaiser is doing?"

Witchmon let out a sigh. "Would you believe the power of friendship?" She looked over at the Digimon Kaiser, frowning as she noticed how he shook. "Speaking of which, maybe we should call it a day."

FlaWizarmon glanced back at the Digimon Kaiser. "...K-chan, I think it's time to go. Now."

The Digimon Kaiser didn't look at either of the Digimon, instead turning his eyes down to his shaking hands.

"Nothing to say in your own defense?" Miyako asked archly. "If you _really_ had nothing to do with trapping Keiko in the Dark World then prove it. Tell us what you did with her, Ryo, and whoever else was on your team."

The Digimon Kaiser kept his eyes on his hands. "...shut up..." His voice was soft, the words barely noticeable.

FlaWizarmon kept his eyes on the Digimon Kaiser. "...He didn't 'do' _anything_ with them."

Hikari looked to Miyako and the others, her expression troubled, before she looked back at the Digimon Kaiser. "Then please... help us rescue Keiko."

"...Shut up," the Digimon Kaiser repeated, his voice tense and slowly gaining in volume.

Hikari felt her insides twist. "Please-"

"Don't waste your breath on him, Hikari-chan," Daisuke said as he climbed to his feet. "Tiny Tower will _never_ listen to reason."

FlaWizarmon scowled, clenching his hands. "You have _no_ idea-"

"_Shut up_!" the Digimon Kaiser shrieked, cutting off the Digimon. He reached to his belt and grabbed his black Digivice from where it sat and whipped it about. "_Shut up, shut up, shut up_!"

Brilliant black light exploded from the dark Digivice, catching the furious Chosen and even his own Digimon escorts off guard. No one had time to react as the blackness lunged at the Chosen, engulfing their senses as the Digimon Kaiser's voice pierced the air.

"_You insects don't understand anything_!"

And then, their surroundings disappeared in to the darkness.


	22. Chapter 21

The next thing the Chosen knew, they were being scattered about the Yamagi apartment, bodies impacting roughly with furniture, the floor, and whatever victim happened to hit said objects first. Chosen were spread about like trash in the wind before finally coming to a stop, the Kaiser's voice ringing in the sudden silence.

"...One of these days, I'm going to take that Digivice of his and ram it down his throat," Takeru growled as he glared up at the ceiling, lying on his back against the floor as he had both Daisuke and Patamon sitting on top of him.

"Not if I beat you to it first," Daisuke grunted as he pulled himself off of Takeru.

Taichi pulled his face out of the couch cushion, inwardly grumbling at how he was made the landing pad for Jou and Mimi. "I forgot he could do that." He looked around, frowning. "Hey, Koshiro, I thought this problem was fixed with the new Digivices."

Koshiro groaned from his position upside-down with his legs splayed against the side of the chair. "The new Digivices let us back in, but I guess that doesn't mean they can stop us from getting kicked out."

"He's done this to us before," Takeru grunted, propping himself up on his elbows. "Remember? When we split up to distract him while you found the Digimentals of Courage and Friendship."

"...That's right, he kicked you out then too," Yamato muttered as he got to his feet, pushing himself up off the sofa. He moved to Takeru's side and reached down to help his brother, then frowned as Takeru pushed the offered hand away and fumbled to his feet under his own power.

Taichi grumbled as he waited for Mimi and Jou to climb off him. "So what are we going to do about it? We can't exactly stop the Kaiser if he can kick us out of the Digital World any time he wants."

Daisuke frowned. "Wait... if he can zap us out whenever he wants, why didn't he just do that in Factory Town instead of telling us to leave and crap?"

Miyako smoothed out her glasses as she sat up from her awkward position on the floor. "Isn't it obvious? Psychological intimidation."

"Looks to me like he does it whenever he's _losing_," Takeru growled. "Like a _brat_."

"Hope's got the right idea," a voice chimed in, causing the Chosen to stop and turn to stare. Jijimon's face appeared on the laptop, though a bit fuzzy. He looked through the screen, as if he could visibly see the Chosen. "I reckon you all should just sit tight for now. We finished talkin' 'bout the important stuff, anyway... an' Kaiser Kiddo's waitin' for you to try and come back so he can boot you out again. Better off just waitin' until he's not so pissy - an' watchin' so closely."

Koshiro fell over as he scrambled to right himself. "Jijimon!"

Miyako frowned as she eyed the screen. "Wait, you could talk to us over the computer all along?"

A hand shoved Jijimon to the side, allowing Babamon to appear on screen. "Only when he gives up trying to hide what he's doing from _me_." She turned to her husband. "Which you're going to do from here on out. Isn't that right, you old fart?"

Jijimon growled as he proceeded to shove Babamon out of the way, only to have the female Digimon shove back so that it became a shoving match. "I ain't hidin' from nobody, no how! Least of all _you_, woman!"

"You better believe it!" Babamon said as she ground her shoulder into Jijimon's. "Dears, if you need to talk to _either of us_, just use this program I'll send you as soon as this knucklehead finishes apologizing for sneaking around behind my back."

"I ain't apologizin', and you ain't sendin' them anything!" Jijimon snapped.

"Wait!" Yamato said, lightly pushing Koshiro aside so he could stand in front of the screen. "But what about Takeru?"

"What _about_ me?" Takeru asked, his voice rough.

Yamato waved his hand over to his brother. "You didn't tell us how to fix him!"

Takeru bristled before he whirled about, clenching his fists."I _don't_-!"

"I already told ya, _you_ can't do a _damn_ thing... besides be a good big brother to Mister Grouchy Pants," Jijimon said. "And try not to take anythin' he says to heart, 'cuz it ain't comin' from his."

Takeru paused at that before he looked away, his fists clenching tightly.

"We'll do what we can," Babamon said. "Hope, honey, try to keep this in mind - the Dark Ocean wants you paranoid and isolated. It wants you to see everyone as the enemy and will affect your judgment. I know you don't want to hear this and I can bet part of 'you' is screaming that I'm wrong and against you, but, trust me, you're being influenced by something else that wants you to hate your brother and everyone else you love so it can steal you away."

Takeru glanced back towards the laptop. As much as he wanted to snap, he held his tongue. The fact that the very emotions she was describing were occurring inside of him that very moment gave credibility to her words, even if he wanted to deny it - or rather, 'he' wanted it. He was smart enough to at least recognize that.

As the others focused on the two elder Digimon, Sora instead turned her attention to Hikari. She moved closer to the Chosen of Light, her eyes drifting over the young girl's injury for signs of blood escaping the makeshift bandage Jou had put on it. Despite the rough trip back to their world, it was still relatively in place. All the same, she couldn't help but feel concerned. "Hikari, are you alright?"

Much like last time, Tailmon had managed to catch Hikari and set the Chosen of Light in a chair to ease the fall. Hikari sighed, swallowing her feelings of frustration, and put on a smile as she turned to Sora. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Taichi grumbled as he moved to Hikari's side, eyes fixed on her injury. "We're taking care of that now before it's a scar." He looked over his shoulder. "Jou, you don't think she needs stitches, do you?"

"I'm _fine_," Hikari said. "Really. I barely feel it now."

"I-if it does, she'll need to go to the doctor," Jou said, his eyes glancing over to Hikari before returning to Taichi. "M-maybe my brother would-"

"She _said_ she's _fine_," Takeru said, his voice having a slight edge to it. He turned to face the Chosen of Light, his eyes lingering at the injury before he forced himself to look away. He was just as concerned as everyone else and the sight of her injury made his blood burn, but he also couldn't help but remember how everyone had fussed at him and ignored his insistence that he didn't need it. He would be a hypocrite not to defend Hikari from the same treatment, even if he felt the same as those questioning her. "...Right, Hikari?"

Though the tone made Hikari worry for Takeru, she gave him a grateful smile and nodded all the same. "It's just a scratch. It'll heal in no time, you'll see."

Takeru returned the smile, the tension easing from his face slightly. However, far too quickly, it returned with full force as his smile shifted in to a frown. "...But even if it _is_ just a scratch, he's going to pay for it."

"...There's no question about that," Yamato said as he crossed his arms. "That brat's got a lot to pay for, and we're going to squeeze him for every bit of it."

Sora looked at the two boys, then back to Hikari. Her expression grew pained as she looked at the bandage, then made herself look away. "How could he...? To attack Hikari so viciously like that...!"

"It's quite clear that he has no boundaries," Iori said, with a shake of his head. "Digimon or human, we are all insects to him. There's no reason to believe that he would hold humans to any higher standards than he does anyone else."

Taichi popped his knuckles one by one, a dark look passing over his features. Although he said nothing for a while, his expression spoke volumes of his dislike towards the Digimon Kaiser. After letting out a frustrated breath, he grabbed Jou by the arm. "Come on, we're getting the first-aid kit."

"Ah-? What-?" Jou stared at Taichi in confusion before he stumbled along with the Chosen of Courage. "O-oh, right! Of course! I should have more gauze, and some pain medicine...!"

Takeru watched as Taichi and Jou walked away before he turned his attention back to Hikari. The scene replayed in his mind, bringing with it fresh rage. However, he made himself shove it aside - at least for the moment - so that he could focus on something else. "Hikari, about what you were saying... about the Chosen of Darkness? About... Keiko?"

Miyako focused a stern gaze on Hikari. "That's right. What's up with not telling us about her sooner? That was kind of important information, you know."

Hikari felt her cheeks heat uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I never mentioned anything earlier... I only really realized she was... real recently." She grimaced, feeling ashamed that she had spent so long convincing herself otherwise. "When we were at the temple and I saw her crest it just... I knew for sure that she wasn't just a figment of my imagination."

Tailmon silently glanced up to Hikari, her expression unreadable.

Hikari noticed the look, but quickly turned away from her partner, feeling a wave of mortification. She knew Tailmon would have a few choice words for her later.

Miyako approached Hikari, hands on her hips. "So spill it. What do you know about Keiko? Don't hold back any details."

"...And why do you think she's the Chosen of Darkness?" Yamato asked, his arms crossed. "_Instead_ of the Digimon Kaiser?"

Hikari hesitated, as the reasons that felt so right in her head suddenly became flimsy and feeble when she tried to put it into words. "Well..." She paused to wet her lips, giving herself another second to think as everyone silently stared at her, waiting for her to explain. "I-I mentioned that the dress I'm always wearing in the Digital World was hers, right? Just black instead of white and with my crest on it instead of hers."

Sora nodded with a slight frown. "But how did you know that?"

"I saw her... in my dreams," Hikari said, her resolve faltering as she was acutely aware of how silly it must sound to the others.

"I knew it!" Miyako said, nearly shouting. "I _knew_ those dreams of yours meant something big!"

"Your dreams?" Yamato repeated slowly before he arched an eyebrow. "How do you know it was even _real_?"

"You saw how the Kaiser acted," Takeru said, turning to eye Yamato. He felt a twinge of irritation at his brother doubting Hikari's words. "If it wasn't real, he wouldn't have reacted like that."

Daisuke scratched the back of his head. "It does sound kind of weird, but a giant egg in the sky is even weirder than that, so anything is possible when Digimon are involved, I guess."

Miyako moved in close to Hikari, her eyes wide and eager. "So what did Keiko say to you? Did she give any tips on how to beat down that cosplay creep?"

Hikari instinctively jerked back slightly then shook her head, her expression regretful. "She... she can't say anything. In all my dreams she's trapped inside a mirror and I can never hear her voice..."

Koshiro frowned slightly as he considered this new information. "So what makes you think she's the Chosen Child of Darkness?"

Hikari's gaze slid to Tailmon briefly before she looked around at the others. "It's just a feeling I have. I know that's not much to go on, but... her God Crest is the one opposite of mine. Everything about her crest to what she wore... and even the fact that her partner was a cat like Tailmon... It reminds me of what Tenraimon said, that Darkness and Light are two sides of the same coin."

Takeru frowned as he crossed his arms. "...Yeah, that'd make sense to me. The fact that you look like her, you're dreaming of her, and considering what she can _do_... if she _didn't_ have a God Crest, I'd be surprised."

Yamato blinked, then turned his head slightly to look at his brother. "...'What she can do'?"

Takeru paused, then looked away as he shifted weight between his feet, forcing his expression to become neutral.

Hikari stared at Takeru with wide eyes. "You've seen her too?"

The Chosen of Hope hesitated, his face twisting as emotions warred inside him. He didn't want to respond, wanted to deny it, but at the same time he couldn't justify hiding it. It wasn't as if he had done anything _wrong_, and it certainly would support Hikari when people were doubting her. And yet for some reason, the words were so hard to form. It took a great deal of effort to utter one word alone. "...Yes."

"What!? _When_!?" Yamato demanded as he moved closer to Takeru, his expression alternating between confusion and anger. "You never said anything!"

"I didn't know who it _was_, or if it was even _real_," Takeru said, his tone rough. "But hearing Hikari describe her... how could she have seen the same girl I had, right down to the same dress and everything, if she wasn't real?"

Hikari felt her pulse quicken as she approached Takeru. "Where did you meet her? When? Is she okay? What about her partner?"

"...I met her when that creature... sent me to the Dark Ocean," Takeru said, slowly. While it was mostly a theory, he felt he could make such a statement with absolute confidence. "Back at Factory Town."

"Sent you to the-!?" Yamato began, his eyebrows shooting straight up.

"You said I disappeared, right, Patamon?" Takeru asked as he turned to his partner, who simply nodded with a confused expression. "After it touched me, I found myself in a strange place... a beach, next to a large black ocean."

Hikari felt a shiver run up her spine. She tried to speak, but found the words wouldn't come.

"Well, that explains that," Miyako said. "I'm guessing that taint is why you didn't decide to tell us this sooner."

"That's where I saw her," Takeru continued, lifting his head to look at the ceiling so that he didn't have to look at Miyako or his brother. "She was sitting on a rock, crying. At first, I thought it was you... because of the dress."

"She was crying in my dream too," Hikari whispered, her chest tightening with emotion.

"...She stopped crying when she saw me," Takeru murmured as he closed his eyes. "That was when I realized it wasn't you. Her eyes were _bright_ red, like blood... the only color in that whole world. For some reason, it wasn't making her color bleed out like it was mine."

"_Bleed out_!?" Yamato repeated, his voice raising in volume and pitch as both his anger and concern grew.

"...I don't know how else to describe it," Takeru mumbled before he finally opened his eyes, turning to face Hikari. He could see concern all over her face as well, and he offered her a small smile even as he continued with his dark story. "The look she had on her face when she saw me... she was _furious_. So furious, in fact, that she stormed right up to me before I could react and slapped me right in the face."

Hikari started at the admission. "She _hit_ you?" The words were echoed by Patamon who gawked at Takeru.

Takeru nodded. "And that's when I found myself suddenly back at Factory Town."

Daisuke stared at Takeru. "Wait, so she hit you so hard she sent you flying out of the Dark Ocean?"

Takeru nodded again as he crossed his arms. "Somehow. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but she was able to kick me out of that place."

Mimi quirked an eyebrow as she looked at Takeru with an inkling of suspicion. "You didn't do anything perverted to her, did you, Takeru?"

Takeru paused and turned to stare at Mimi, confusion evident on his face. "Perverted...?"

"Takeru'd never do anything like that," Yamato snapped as he eyed the Chosen of Purity.

Mimi let out a low hum. "I know, it doesn't sound like Takeru at all, but when a girl slaps a boy, it's usually because he did something perverted."

Taichi's eyebrows raised as he walked back into the room with the first-aid kit in hand. "What's this about Takeru being perverted to a girl?" He eyed Takeru and Hikari, suspiciously noting how close they were standing together.

Takeru's cheek began to twitch as his expression became strained, his confusion quickly being replaced with obvious irritation. "...Excuse me?"

Miyako snapped her fingers over her head. "We're getting off topic, people. We can discuss whether or not Takaishi is perverted after we get more information about a new Chosen Child in the Dark Ocean."

Takeru's cheek twitched again as his jaw clenched, making his teeth hurt even as it tried to maintain his smile. The initial accusation had taken him quite by surprise, and the continued comments had quickly turned that surprise in to dark, burning _anger_. It felt like a betrayal as a part of him deep inside demanded to know if this was somehow a reveal of what they thought of him – that they actually believed he was capable of such a thing, all this time. "Oh yes, let's discuss it at great length. Tell me all about how you think I'm a pervert."

Taichi set the first-aid kit down on the coffee table, allowing Jou to access it in order to treat Hikari's cut. "This girl involved wouldn't happen to be Hikari, would it?"

Hikari was quiet as she considered the facts Takeru had given and how they both supported and oddly contradicted what she had thought. She was only brought back to the present after Jou started bandaging the cut on her face. She spared him a small smile before letting out a frustrated breath at Taichi's comment. "Big brother..."

Takeru felt something inside him break, and his smile shattered at the same time. With one swift motion, Takeru lunged to slam his hands in to Taichi's chest, shoving him backwards roughly. "_Say that again_!"

Taichi yelped and staggered back, barely keeping himself from falling over. "Whoa, hey!"

"Takeru!" Yamato cried out as he moved to grab his younger brother, keeping the smaller boy from lunging at Taichi again. "Calm down!"

"Say it again! _I dare you_!" Takeru snarled, his expression akin to a wild animal baring its teeth.

"Get him, _get him_!" Chibimon cried out as he jumped up and down, waving his hands. Hearing Taichi say bad things about Takeru had been angering him as well, as Takeru was Daisuke's friend and would never do anything bad to Hikari – or this Keiko girl, whoever she was. "No one talks bad about Daisuke's friends!"

Hikari was between Takeru and Taichi in an instant, moving so quickly that the bandage Jou was putting on her got yanked off instead. "Takeru! Please!"

Taichi held his hands up in front of him as he stared at Takeru in open befuddlement. "H-hey, I wasn't going to punch you out or anything. I just-"

Miyako let out a loud groan. "Can we _please_ not antagonize the guy with evil voices in his head telling him not to trust any of us?"

Takeru's eyes blazed as they glared at Taichi, before slowly drifting down to Hikari. The anger flickered as the Chosen of Hope hesitated. Slowly, Takeru eased his body back, no longer fighting against his brother's grip. He forced his gaze away from Hikari, allowing his eyes instead to bore in to the cushions of the couch as his fists clenched so tightly that he dug his nails in to his palms.

"Takeru...," Patamon said softly as he flew in front of his partner's face. "It's okay. No one here thinks of you that way. _Really_." He looked around at the others who nodded in agreement, each of them wearing varying degrees of worry.

"...Don't say things you don't mean," Takeru said, his voice rough like a growl. He wasn't entirely certain if he was referring to Patamon's assurance or the accusations the others had spoken not only moments before. In the end, it didn't really matter.

Hikari reached out to place her hand on Takeru's clenched fist. She felt him flinch, but he didn't move away, instead glancing at her only long enough to see her small, tentative smile, before returning his hard gaze to the sofa.

Takeru's muscles relaxed in spite of himself, even as he kept his gaze on the sofa. Something about Hikari's touch felt warm and soothing, like the slow trickle of water on the fire inside him. Bit by bit, the flames of rage extinguished and his expression softened. "...I'm fine."

Miyako noted how Takeru's hand unclenched in Hikari's grip and their fingers twined together then looked between the two Chosen Children. "You know, it'd probably be best if you two spent as much time together as possible while Takaishi is trying to get over this, including overnight."

"_What_?!" Taichi shouted in virtually the same instant as Daisuke.

Takeru paused at that and turned to stare at Miyako, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. At the same time, Hikari released her hand from Takeru and blinked, startled.

Miyako shrugged off the looks Daisuke and Taichi shot her. "It only makes sense, right? I can't be the only one who's noticed that out of everyone here, Yagami, er, _Hikari_ seems to be the best at getting Takaishi to calm down."

"It's true," Mimi said thoughtfully. "Hikari and Takeru have always gotten along very well."

"I think it's a great idea!" Patamon said, grinning. "It'll be like a big slumber party!"

Yamato made a low grunting noise in his throat. He couldn't deny what Miyako said, even if it irritated him. But then, Takeru and Hikari had always been close. It was different than their bond as brothers. "Taichi doesn't really have a guest room..."

Miyako eyed Taichi, who seemed to be obviously wrestling with the idea. "Actually, I think it might be better if they have it at Takaishi's place given that blow up just now. It's better to not risk making things worse on accident."

"So you want them to spend the night together _alone_?" Taichi sputtered, aghast.

Miyako made an obvious gesture of pointing at Patamon and then Tailmon, her expression deadpan. "Did you forget about these two or Takaishi's parents or Ishida right here?" She jerked her thumb at Yamato.

Taichi's cheeks blazed with embarrassed heat. "W-well no, I, uh... er..."

Hikari sighed and shook her head. She loved her big brother dearly, but there were times when his protectiveness could be a little frustrating. "I'll be fine. This is Takeru we're talking about, not some stranger."

Daisuke snapped his fingers. "Oh, I know! The six of us could sleep over at my house! I've got sleeping bags and..." He trailed off as images of Jun popped into his mind. "No, wait, actually that'd be the most terrible idea ever. Forget I mentioned anything."

Hikari gave Daisuke a sympathetic look before patting his shoulder.

"...I'm fine," Takeru said, shaking his head. While the idea of spending time with Hikari was tempting, he also knew it would create a big inconvenience for her. Besides, it'd be admitting that he _needed_ the help. "You don't need to put yourself through this for me. I'm... fine. I just... I'm tired, that's all."

Yamato eyed his brother, then grunted. "I wonder how 'fine' you can be... when you were about to rip out Taichi's throat a moment ago." He could see Takeru flinch and did his best not to similarly react when his brother turned to focus his angry gaze on him. "...Look, I think we can all pretty much agree that something is going on. Even if you don't want to admit it, you've _never_ been that quick to anger... and I'm willing to bet that you were being egged on. It's the only thing that makes sense."

Patamon landed on Takeru's head, his expression filled with worry. "He's right, Takeru. That isn't like you at all."

Takeru did his best to resist the urge to clench his jaw and grind his teeth. He knew they were right, logically. But deep in his heart, he didn't want to admit it - it felt like admitting _defeat_. And yet in spite of those feelings, he had to wonder how much of it was _him_ and how much of it was _not_.

Koshiro rubbed the back of his head. "That might be a good idea to do what we can to make it easier for Takeru to deal with this taint until we can get a cure."

"I guess," Taichi muttered. "But maybe Takeru should just spend the night here instead of Hikari over there. She's still getting over being sick, after all."

"W-wait, wait, wait!" Jou protested, waving his hands a bit as he glanced at the other Chosen. Being the eldest, he could certainly see all the unpleasant implications that the other children were perhaps missing. "Aren't you accepting this a bit too easily!? An unrelated boy and girl, alone at night!? T-that's kind of...!"

Mimi tapped her chin, cocking her head slightly. "Well, I guess if Takeru tries anything perverted or something, Hikari can just slap some sense back into him!" She smiled as she waved her hand in the air for emphasis.

Hikari cringed at the idea. "I really don't want to slap anyone, Mimi. Especially not Takeru."

Mimi paused and let out a quiet hum. "I guess that's true..." She turned to Tailmon. "Tailmon, we're all counting on you to protect Hikari's purity!"

Tailmon arched an eyebrow. "...I'd protect Hikari regardless, but I think the problem would be the taint more than Takeru suddenly deciding he wants to do more with Hikari than hold her hand."

Daisuke jerked and turned to gawk at Takeru. "You held Hikari-chan's hand!?"

Miyako eyed Daisuke. "You say that like he copped a feel inside her panties."

Daisuke's face turned dark red. "_I-I did not_!"

Takeru felt his tension return, his jaw going tight once more. Anger flooded inside of him, mingling in his stomach before flowing to the rest of his body. It was actually somewhat _painful_, making his insides ache with dark feelings that only served to grow by the second. Slowly, he lifted his head and forced a smile across his face, one that wasn't particularly friendly. "Anyway, _thank you_ for the concern but _I refuse_. I wouldn't want anyone to think I was a _pervert_... though it does seem a bit too late for that~!"

Yamato's eyebrows shot straight up before he frowned. "Look. we're just-"

"_I said no_," Takeru said, still smiling even though his voice was hard as metal.

Jou joined Yamato in staring at Takeru in confusion before the Chosen of Honesty began to sweat. He was rather quickly beginning to regret voicing his concerns, as the atmosphere was tense all over again. "W-we should really discuss this a bit more-"

Takeru whirled to turn his focus on Jou, his expression openly hostile as his smile completely disappeared. The glare was enough to interrupt the eldest Chosen, Jou staring at Takeru in bewildered silence. Takeru held the other boy's gaze for a moment before he turned and headed towards the door. He grabbed the knob and threw it open before he turned back to the group, a smile reappearing on his face, one that did nothing to soften his harsh expression. "Come on, Patamon. I'm sure everyone'd _much prefer_ that the _nasty pervert_ leave, so I can't keep _harassing girls_ with my _mere presence_." Without waiting for a response, he turned and stormed down the hallway, leaving the door open.

Patamon and Tailmon shared a look before the Chosen of Hope's partner quickly took off to follow after Takeru. Yamato hesitated, glancing over to Taichi and then the door as he was struck with indecision.

Taichi let out a quiet grunt before he shoved Yamato by the shoulder, making the blond stagger a few steps towards the door. "Go ahead and go after him. Takeru is going to need his big brother to look out for him more than ever with this... stuff hanging over his head."

Yamato stumbled slightly before his indecision cleared, replaced with a grim face. He nodded to the Chosen of Courage and then hurried after his brother, leaving the rest of the Chosen in the tense atmosphere left by Takeru's outburst.

Sora stared at the door for several moments before she turned to look at the others. "He... seemed really upset. I've never seen him act that way before..."

"That must be what Jijimon meant," Tailmon said as she crossed her arms, glancing to Taichi and Mimi before turning her attention to the door. "...He took everything you said a lot more personally than he normally would have."

Taichi sighed and rubbed the tension lines that formed on his forehead. "I guess I've gotta try harder not to blurt stuff out without thinking it through first."

Sora looked at Taichi sympathetically, reaching out to touch his arm. "I'm sure Takeru knows you didn't mean anything. He just... needs time to calm down."

Taichi gave Sora a wan, but appreciative smile. "Yeah... I just wish Jijimon and Babamon could've just given him that cure they were talking about."

"They said they were going to take care of it, so I'm sure that they'll cure him soon enough," Sora said, then turned to look at the others. "In the meantime, we all need to... keep in mind that Takeru is hurting. He needs understanding."

"That doesn't mean we have to sit around and wait," Miyako said, raising a finger into the air. "We should take this time to work on our strategies. With all this new information the Kaiser dropped on us, we'll have a better chance of using that against him next time he shows his smug face in front of us."

"We should focus on finding more of the Digimentals, and taking out more of his bases," Tailmon said, crossing her arms. "I don't know why Jijimon and Babamon are keeping my Digimental, but the others should still be available."

Miyako wrung her hands together tight enough that the knuckles bleached white. "We also need to make getting my partner..._ all_ the missing partners back a priority."

"We can start with getting Iori's partner," Koshiro said, his expression thoughtful. "Given the circumstances, his will probably be the easiest one to get back until we figure out where the Digimon Kaiser is keeping the others..."

Iori was quiet for several moments, glancing from the other Chosen before turning his attention fully to Koshiro. He hesitated as he seemed to be choosing his words carefully before he straightened up. "About that... please don't concern yourself on my account."

Sora smiled weakly to Iori and Miyako, trying to put a brave face for her underclassmen despite her own pain at the mention of missing partners. She could deeply sympathize with both Miyako and Iori, with Piyomon still in the clutches of the Digimon Kaiser as well. "It's fine, don't worry. We'll definitely find your partner."

"...I'm afraid you don't understand," Iori said, his voice rather neutral. "Please don't worry about getting me a partner. I don't need or desire one."

Sora froze, her eyes widening as she stared at the boy in front of her. Her expression grew blank and uncomprehending, as if he had spoken in a foreign language.

Taichi stared oddly at Iori. "Huh? You don't have to act so humble you know. You're part of the team, and so is your Digimon, so we're going to get him for you no matter what!"

Iori turned to Taichi, his expression polite and yet carrying a surprising amount of firmness. "...Please allow me to repeat myself. I do not need or desire a Digimon partner."

Daisuke's jaw dropped. "Are you _kidding me_? Having a Digimon partner is the _best_!" He scooped up Chibimon and held the small dragon in front of Iori's face. "Just look into those eyes and tell me you don't think Chibimon is the most amazing Digimon you've ever seen!"

Miyako coughed into her hand, the noise sounding suspiciously like, "Brag much?"

Daisuke looked sideways at Miyako through narrowed eyes. "What was that?"

"Late night air makes my throat dry," Miyako said as she looked away, rubbing her neck.

Iori looked down at the little dragon Digimon staring up at him with his wide eyes, then shifted his gaze to Daisuke. "...Be that as it may, it has nothing to do with me."

Daisuke blinked at Iori. "Huh?"

"I am here to protect Miyako," Iori said, his voice authoritative. "That is all."

"What an awful thing to say!" Mimi shouted, her voice cracking high with emotion. "Your Digimon is out there waiting for you! They've been waiting for you for a long time, and you don't want to go see them at all_?_!"

"While unfortunate, I fail to see why that is my fault," Iori said, his voice becoming surprisingly hard. He turned to look at Mimi, his expression serious. "No one asked for my permission. What gave you the right to decide such a thing for me?"

Mimi was startled by the harsh glare, but was too upset for Iori's unknown partner to back down right away. "None of us were _asked_, but that doesn't matter! What matters is your partner is in the Digital World waiting for you!"

"It matters to _me_," Iori said, wavering neither in his stare nor his tone. "Having a 'partner' goes against _everything_ I stand for, and I will not allow anyone to undermine my principles. Please contact whoever you must to have this partnership canceled _immediately_."

"I'm afraid that's not how it works," Koshiro said, brow furrowing. "Our partners-"

"_This is not open for discussion_," Iori practically barked, his expression startlingly fierce for what they had seen of the boy's typical behavior. He fixed a withering glare on Koshiro, silencing the older boy. Without another word, he turned sharply on his heels and stormed towards the door to Taichi's apartment. Even as he appeared to seethe, he still opened the door with care before turning to the others. "_Have a good evening_." With that, he then closed the door behind him, as if he had closed the door on the entire conversation itself.

"What the heck was _that_ all about?" Daisuke asked as he stared at the closed door, dumbfounded.

Koshiro turned to Miyako, who he noticed looked more sad than surprised or upset. "Miyako, do you know what that was all about? I thought you told Iori about all this."

"I did," Miyako sighed before heading to the front door. "I'll handle it." She paused, her hand on the knob, before glancing back over her shoulder at Koshiro. "Just keep focused on getting our Digimon. Iori will come around... eventually."

Miyako left before Koshiro or anyone else had a chance to respond or probe the subject further, leaving the apartment heavy with an unpleasantly thick silence.

Sora stared after Miyako and Iori before she turned to Taichi, her expression helpless and confused. "What... should we do?"

Taichi groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I think everyone's had enough today. Let's just all get some rest and try to figure things out in the morning." He glanced sideways at his sister. "Besides, Hikari should get some more rest."

Hikari snapped out of her thoughts as she looked up at her brother. "I'm fine now. Don't worry about me."

"That doesn't change the fact that you need rest," Sora said, with a smile. "We all do." She turned to look at the other Chosen, glancing around. "We should all get some sleep. We've... had a rough day."

"Agreed," Koshiro said. "At least now we can email Babamon and Jijimon. Maybe we'll get more answers now."

Taichi looked at Sora, then at the remaining Chosen. Given everything that had happened, calling it a 'rough day' was a complete understatement. It had _started out_ rough just by going to the temple, and between the Digimon Kaiser's sudden appearance and attack on his little sister and the outburst of two of their younger members, Taichi felt as if he had climbed the mountain itself rather than being teleported to the stop. However, voicing those thoughts proved just as difficult as the day itself had been with the words failing to form. In the end, all the Chosen of Courage could do was let out a frustrated grunt and reach up to rub the back of his head. "Don't count on it."

As the atmosphere remained somber, the Chosen slowly began to depart the Yamagi residence. One by one, they filed away until only Hikari and Taichi was remaining - at least, it appeared so initially. After Taichi closed the door behind Koshiro, he turned to see Jou standing awkwardly to the side. The eldest Chosen's expression was a mixture of various emotions that Taichi couldn't recognize, but at the very least it was obvious that Jou was staring off in to space.

"Jou?" Taichi asked. When the older boy failed to respond, he waved his hand in front of Jou's face. "Hey Jou, you okay?"

Jou jumped with a yelp, nearly falling backwards before he whipped his head to stare at Taichi. "E-eh? W-what-?"

"You were zoned out there," Taichi said. "Is something on your mind?"

Jou opened his mouth to voice a denial but the words couldn't form initially. Instead, he closed his mouth with an audible click and looked down at the floor, pushing up his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "I... shouldn't have said anything. To Takeru."

Taichi rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah... I'm kinda kicking myself over that too, but it's that mark on him that's messing with his mind right now, so you shouldn't beat yourself up over it."

Jou looked as though he wanted to argue before he let out a heavy, resigned sigh. He glanced over to Hikari before returning his attention back to Taichi. "...If it gets worse, call me, okay? ...Not that I can do much." Without waiting for a reply, the Chosen of Honesty sullenly headed towards the front door.

Taichi blinked, surprised by the heavy funk hanging over Jou to the point where words failed him.

Hikari, however, followed after Jou, meeting him at the door just as it opened. "Jou?"

Jou glanced back to Hikari, his expression weary. "Yes, Hikari...?"

"We'll save Gomamon," Hikari said, her voice resolute. "Just hang in there."

Jou paused, seemingly taken aback as he stared at Hikari. After several long moments of silence, his expression softened as tears formed in his eyes. "...Thank you." He then opened the door, slipping through it in to the hallway before closing it behind him.

* * *

><p>The sound of the ocean welcomed Hikari back to the monochrome seaside town. Like before, she felt a pervasive sense of dread, but it was less oppressive now as she moved quickly through the streets, anxiety quickening her footsteps. She ignored the cafe as she passed it by for the third time, wandering lost through the ever changing town. There was only one place she needed to go before the dream ended - the fun house.<p>

Hikari swallowed a knot of fear that kept her quiet, cupping her mouth as she shouted into the gloom. "_Keiko!_"

Despite the relatively short buildings and the wide open sky, Hikari's cries echoed back to her, but her voice never sounded quite right and only grew more distorted as it repeated softer and softer until the sound of waves carried it away.

A terrified tremor ran up Hikari's spine as she thought she heard laughter behind her. She hurried her footsteps, only to spy the ocean at the very edge of the fog. She turned sharply and went in a new direction to take her away from both.

The breaking of glass made Hikari choke down a shriek of fear, but it didn't stop her from jerking back instinctively. The sound had been loud, almost as though something had shattered beside her, yet she saw nothing that could account for the noise. The closest thing to her was a twisted lamp post sporting sign bearing the town's universal phrase. At the top was the skeleton of a metal cage that might have held glass once upon a time, but now it held only a mess of shredded papers discolored with age surrounding a mass of something dark and unnervingly slick where the bulb should have been. As she looked to the ground for any shards of glass, she thought she saw the lump twitch out of the corner of her eye.

Hikari quickened her pace, deciding she wasn't curious enough to investigate the lamp post further when it made her feel so uneasy. The whole town seemed to be more foreboding now, more menacing than before. She felt unseen eyes watching her – and not kindly. Perhaps it was just her imagination or the experience of past dreams, but she felt like a cat that had caught the gaze of a wild dog.

And it was hungry.

An unexpectedly familiar sound made Hikari pause and instinctively reach into her pocket, only to find empty air where her D-Terminal should have been. The distinct chime came again before she had a chance to wonder if she had only imagined it. As the sound continued, she noticed that it was warped, much like her voice when it echoed back to her. Fear held rooted her feet to the spot as a fleeting thought of a trap whispered at the back of her mind.

The indecision lasted for only a moment, then Hikari forced herself to move, following the distorted chime with the vain hope that it wasn't another of this place's mind games.

It wasn't long before Hikari arrived at her destination - the fun house. The sight of it brought her a rush of relief that immediately turned to ice as she noticed the mirror was cracked. "Keiko!"

Hikari ran the rest of the way, skidding to a halt in time for her red eyed gaze to meet Keiko's. She scarcely noticed how the other girl's expression and posture mirrored her panicked run until that instant as she focused more on the thin crack that started at Keiko's forehead and ran down the pale girl's face to create an asymmetrical distortion. Hikari's eyes followed the crack and others to their origin. Before, the mirror stood flush with the ground and was nearly twice Hikari's height - now a large chunk was missing from the bottom, cutting the image of Keiko off just below the knees. A spider web of cracks spread outward from the now jagged edge, but they spread broadly enough for the majority of the mirror to remain intact.

Hikari looked around, but saw no hint of the culprit responsible. She turned back to Keiko only to find that the dark girl wasn't looking at her, but was staring resolutely downward. The Chosen of Light felt her stomach twist as she felt pain for Keiko anew. "Don't... don't worry. We'll save you for sure." Though she tried to sound certain, her voice came out weak with worry.

There was no sign of reaction from Keiko. Hikari considered touching the mirror, but hesitated. Instead, she followed the Chosen of Darkness' gaze to the shards of glass on the ground. As she looked at them, a thought appeared in her head. Perhaps there was some way of putting the mirror back together, though what meaning it held was still beyond her.

It was then that Hikari noticed there wasn't only shards of glass piled in front of her. For a moment she didn't quite recognize the warped rectangle of metal and plastic, but as it let out familiar tone, she knew that it was a D-Terminal. Carefully, she picked the device up, grimacing at some strange viscous dark goo that oozed from cracks in the casing and clung to her fingers. The device nearly slipped out of her hands when it vibrated as it sputtered out a garbled version of the usual tune. Somehow it struck her as weak and pitiful instead of unnerving as when she first heard it.

Glancing back at the mirror, Hikari saw Keiko's eyes were fixed resolutely on the D-Terminal in her hands. She fumbled to open the device, as the burnt frame practically welded it shut. Only a hard yank finally pried it apart and she winced as the weakened lid cracked and crumbled to the ground. She shot Keiko an apologetic look for damaging the D-Terminal, but the dark haired girl's gaze never wavered from the mangled object in her hands.

The edges of the D-Terminal's screen were bubbled and dirty like the mirror's surface, but an open email was still plainly visible. On a stained background that was supposed to be white, jagged black lines appeared, as though someone were digging into it with coal pencil before her very eyes.

_WAKE UP!_

Just like that, Hikari's eyes shot open wide, and she found herself back in her bedroom. She sat up immediately, feeling strangely wide awake.

Tailmon looked over to her Chosen, already awake herself. Her cat eyes were starkly visible in the darkness. She was sitting at the foot of Hikari's bed with her D-Terminal in her lap, the device open so that the light cast an eerie glow on her face. "Another dream?"

Hikari nodded, but the sight of her open D-Terminal distracted her before she could give her partner the details. She a sudden spike of adrenaline as she thought of what happened in her dream. "A message...?"

Tailmon nodded as she moved closer to her Chosen so that the two could see the D-Terminal. "Something strange is happening." She turned her head to look back at the screen, where the meaning of her words appeared. There was indeed a message on the screen, but the letters kept disappearing as if it were being erased as it was being typed. As each letter disappeared, another tried to take its place. In the end, it was only because of the constant reappearance of letters that the message could even be legible - 'go back', repeating endlessly.

Immediately, Hikari thought of the dream. "But she told me to wake up, so..."

Realization struck Hikari like lightning as the message changed to a single word before it ceased completely.

_HURRY!_

In an instant, Hikari was out of bed, grabbing her Digivice. "Tailmon, come on!" Trusting that her partner would follow, she ran out to her father's office to turn on the computer.

Tailmon jumped out of bed and followed after Hikari. "It's Keiko, isn't it? She really _is_ talking to you."

Hikari nodded as she waited anxiously for the computer to boot up. Why did it have to be so slow? It made her almost tempted to run to Koshiro's place to use the laptop he had brought over this afternoon when the computer finally finished its overly long boot up process. "I'll explain after we get there." She held up her Digivice to the screen and steeled her will. Though she didn't have the Digital Gate program, she concentrated and hoped that she could make a connection like she did before when she reached out to Tailmon. If she just focused on her desire to return to the Digital World more than anything else, perhaps it would respond and give her what she wanted.

It seemed that Hikari's wish was answered. Even without the Digital Gate program, a burst of light appeared from the screen of the computer seconds before the Chosen of Light felt herself being pulled through to the Digital World. In an instant, the familiar scene of her home was gone and in its place was none other than the inside of the great cathedral they had been in earlier in the day. The massive room was shrouded in an eerie darkness, obstructing most of the mural as moonlight filtered in through the far mural - coincidentally, or perhaps no coincidence at all, the mural of the night sky in particular.

Hikari focused on the mural as she moved quietly across the smooth floor, which felt surprisingly warm against her bare feet. She could barely see more than shadows and moonlight, but that was enough to lead her to the symbol for the Crest of Darkness and its empty altar.

Tailmon followed after her Chosen, glancing about the area before she turned her attention to the altar. "I don't see Jijimon or Babamon anywhere."

Though it was only Hikari and Tailmon, somehow the Chosen of Light felt certain that they were not alone in the magnificent temple. She hesitated as a flicker of uncertainty ran through her. The Chosen of Darkness was trapped someplace, she was certain of it, but then who was in the darkness with them now? "Keiko...?"

A low rumble of thunder was all the warning Hikari got before a sudden burst of lightning tore through the night mural, shattering it as it struck the altar directly in front of the Chosen of Light. Tailmon lunged to shield Hikari from the glass, only for it to never fall. Instead, the mural slowly reformed itself as the shards dissolved, eliminating any evidence that it had ever been broken.

Tailmon stared at the mural before she turned to the altar. The altar was similarly unharmed despite seemingly being struck by lightning. However, the cat Digimon's eyes focused less on the non-existent damage and more to the altar itself - it was no longer empty. Sitting on the top of the altar itself was an object that hadn't been there before, glistening in the darkness with an ephemeral glow. It was a large orb seemingly nestled on a base made of what appeared to be numerous twisted, clawing hands.

However, as Hikari looked closer, she saw the illusion of hands was a trick of the light casting dark shadows and distorting the actual shape of the object. Twisted fingers clawing at the orb were actually coiling branches of a large silver tree made from many trunks created an intricate nest that gently held a glowing sphere made of blue-silver in a protective embrace. The surface of the orb was translucent, allowing her to see the image of repeating moons inside made from darkness and empty space.

"The Digimental of Darkness," Hikari whispered, her voice awed in reverence.

"I don't reckon we gotta tell ya just how _significant_ what just happened was," came a voice directly behind Hikari, causing both her and Tailmon to whip about. Standing behind the two, obscured by the darkness, was both Jijimon and Babamon. Jijimon tapped his staff on the ground before he tilted his head. "I didn't expect 'im to be willin'. I guess this really _is_ a place of Miracles."

Babamon smiled kindly at Hikari and Tailmon. "You won't have to worry about nightmares anymore, dear. Darkness is on your side."

Tailmon looked at the two Digimon, then to the Digimental. "This is... Keiko's Digimental?"

Hikari turned back to the Digimental. She thought of Keiko and the dream, which made her heart lurch with gratitude. She picked up the Digimental, marveling at how light and warm it was. "Keiko..." She took in a breath, steeling herself. "Wait for us. We'll rescue you for sure."

The smile faded from Babamon's face, but she said nothing as she looked to Jijimon.

Hikari failed to notice the change in expression by the time she turned back around. "Tailmon, this is what the dream was telling me. Keiko somehow managed to send us her Digimental."

Jijimon glanced at Babamon before he cleared his throat. "It goes without sayin', but I'm sayin' it anyway. Take care of that Digimental, an' don't let no one ya don't trust know ya got it."

Hikari turned to Jijimon, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Darkness doesn't get trusted much," Babamon sighed, her expression grave. "Both in your world and ours. You should tell the rest of the Chosen, but no further than that."

Tailmon furrowed her brow. "You mean-"

"And _especially_," Jijimon said as he twirled his staff before he pointed it at Hikari. "_Especially_. Don't let that thing leave yer possession for _any_ reason. I don't care what they say, what they beg, what sorta sob story they try to sell ya. There ain't no reason in this world that anyone but _you_ need that Digimental, an' yer bein' trusted to take care of it. The least you can do is honor that trust and don't do nothing that might violate it."

Hikari grimaced as she remembered the confrontation earlier, how her friends were reluctant to accept that there was a Crest of Darkness. She was certain that they could be convinced that Darkness wasn't inherently evil, but as she thought of all the evil Digimon the Chosen Children had faced and how they exploited the power of Darkness, as well as the truth Tenraimon whispered to her all those years ago. She knew that truth was difficult to accept easily. She nodded with understanding of the responsibility she now shouldered and held up her Digivice to the Digimental, which glowed in response to her will before it disappeared and became a tiny icon on the screen of her Digivice. "Don't worry." She held the Digivice to her chest protectively. "I won't let anything happen to it."

"We of all 'mons ain't got no business lecturin' ya, least of all about _this_," Jijimon said as he lowered his head, tapping the end of his staff against the floor. "But he don't trust easy, an' the fact that he'd let you have his Digimental... he's puttin' a lot of faith in you, girlie, an' I see no reason to question it."

"Narakumon," Hikari guessed quietly.

"None other," Babamon said with a sage nod. "And I imagine the timing isn't a coincidence either..."

"What do you mean?" Tailmon asked before she paused, staring as Jijimon twirled his staff before pointing it to the entrance to the temple. Tailmon hesitated before she proceeded over towards the doors. With a flourish of her arms, she opened the doors as a gust of chilly wind blew in from the snow-covered mountain top around them.

Standing high above the world, it gave Hikari and Tailmon a perfect view to see the far distant horizon as it blazed, flames kissing the night sky to create a blood red horizon reminiscent of a sunset.

* * *

><p>The massive temple stretched across the luxurious lake, its ornate Eastern structure in sync with the crystal clear water as blue and white mingled together harmoniously. And yet the harmony had been completely destroyed, fire voraciously devouring the wreckage as the very water itself burned. Digimon scurried about, their screams echoing in to the night. The line had been broken, the defenses cracked. And as the Digimon Kaiser's army surged in to the temple like a terrible tide, the Digimon housed within could do nothing but flee in terror.<p>

FlaWizarmon stood beside the Digimon Kaiser as he surveyed the chaos, his expression rather neutral. "Well, paint me white and call me Sorcerymon... for all the build up, they didn't put up much of a fight, did they?"

Witchmon let out an overly dramatic sigh as she stretched her arms over her head. "They're so pitiful I almost feel sorry for them."

"..._They're_ not the ones I prepared for." The Digimon Kaiser said as he tapped his fingers against his arm, keeping them crossed as he glared at the temple.

"I know, I know," FlaWizarmon said with a lopsided grin. "Just trying to keep the mood up, y'know? Gotta keep spirits high when an _execution_'s coming."

Thunder rumbled as storm clouds formed overhead, illuminating the graying sky with flashes of lightning that sparked across the clouds and never touched the ground.

The Digimon Kaiser slowly lifted his head, uncoiling his arms so that he could reach for his whip.

It was difficult to tell where the dragon Digimon ended and the clouds and lightning began, as his serpentine body appeared to be made from both, as translucent as a ghost save for his adornments and his flowing white whiskers that formed a beard half as long as he was. His body was bound completely in chains from its tail to the sharp angled blue mask accented with lightning bolts that covered his face. Large spheres of shimmering blue drifted in lazy circles around all four of its massive jagged claws, glowing as eerily as the jagged blade that jutted from the brow of its mask like a horn. Its delicate looking wings fanned out as its four red eyes narrowed at the invaders.

When the Digimon spoke in a voice that rumbled low like thunder, yet was as heavy and weary as a drawn out storm. "So... you've finally come."

"We made a promise, didn't we?" FlaWizarmon said, with a bright smile on his face.

Witchmon twirled a finger in the air. "I'm surprised you didn't have the welcome mat ready for us."

The Digimon Kaiser glared up at the massive Digimon, gripping his whip and pulling it tight. "Qinglongmon."

The massive dragon, Qinglongmon, narrowed his eyes at the Chosen Child for a long moment. "I see... So _you're_ the Digimon Kaiser."

The Digimon Kaiser hesitated for a moment before his face twisted in to a scowl. "Yes. I am."

Qinglongmon's sigh was like a rumble of distant thunder. "Then I will not run from my fate. I know I do not deserve forgiveness for what I have done, but all I ask is that it end with me. Let your hatred die with me, and spare the rest of the Digital World your wrath."

The Digimon Kaiser stared at Qinglongmon for several moments before he pulled his whip tight with his hands, a slight tremor running through them. "You are in no position to make such demands of me. The fact that you would believe that you alone would be enough to satisfy me shows that your arrogance has not diminished in the slightest."

"...You had to know that this was coming," FlaWizarmon said, his eyes narrowing as all friendliness left his face. "Even if the others don't want to admit it."

Another exhale from Qinglongmon carried thunder across the horizon. "I knew that the two of you would come, but I had hoped that time could heal the wounds that day left behind so that you could live free of the darkness it birthed inside your heart, child."

Witchmon smiled without mirth, showing off her sharp teeth behind black painted lips. "Sorry, but it's far late to kiss and make up now."

"Enough," the Digimon Kaiser said with a low growl before he straightened up, glaring at Qinglongmon. The screams had long since ceased, as the Digimon had ever finished fleeing or were already captured by his Digimon army. "I've wasted enough time on you." He then twirled his whip and pointed it directly at Qinglongmon. "If you're going to 'accept your fate', then _hurry up and die_!"

As if on cue, two new Digimon approached the trio from behind. Moving slowly, the black rings resting around their necks like collars shimmered in the fire light. The two Digimon looked to be skeletons, one a towering dinosaur made of bleached bones with a pulsating heart in its chest and a flesh-like missile with a glaring face on its back while the other was a canine made of metallic blue bones with flesh-stripped wings. It was Skull Greymon and Skull Baluchimon, and the two focused their vacant red-eyed stare on Qinglongmon, devoid of any emotion.

Qinglongmon's eyes widened with horror as he saw the two undead Digimon. "What have you done?"

"It's not _Omegamon_," the Digimon Kaiser said, his face twisting in a scowl. "But I'd say, for the moment, they'll get the job done."

* * *

><p>There was not much Hikari could see from the temple save for the distant storm and smoke. She thought she briefly saw a dragon somewhere in the clouds, but couldn't be sure. For a while there was only the wind and thunder to be heard until a terrible but far away scream made her shiver harder than the cold air. Dread twisted in her chest as a golden light burst from the clouds and destroyed them, leaving only black smoke and gilded particles that slowly evaporated.<p>

A terrible realization hit Hikari - the gold was not energy or an attack, but data.

"What's... what's happening!?" Tailmon demanded, her ears twitching as she stared at the data.

Jijimon let out a low, heavy sigh. "War."


	23. Chapter 22

For a middle school soccer game, there was a surprisingly large crowd of people gathered at the soccer field that brisk, chilly morning. People of all ages, from children to adults, occupied most of the sidelines to the point that the coaches actually had to block off their sections with tape and chairs to keep people from intruding - and even then, there were still a few arguments with the bolder interlopers.

The bleachers were filled to capacity, and then some, as every seat was occupied while the excess stood on, around, and under the bleachers. Some had rather expensive looking professional-grade cameras, while most either had regular cameras or their cell phones. By the side of the road, a television crew had set itself up, their news van parked nearby.

The Chosen were lucky to get their seats, especially so close to the field. It was entirely due to their connections to the team. It had seemed odd that the coach would give them tickets for seating, but it was now abundantly clear why. He knew it was going to happen, and wanted to make sure that at least his team didn't get shafted. As it was, the Chosen had to deal with the encroaching crowd, and more than one ballsy adult attempting to bribe them for their seats or intimidate them in to surrendering them as if they had done something wrong.

"The hell is this?" Yamato muttered as he eyed the gathering around him. "Even my _band_ doesn't draw crowds like this."

"This isn't a crowd, it's a _mob_." Taichi said, similarly disturbed.

"I'd expect this from a _professional_ game," Takeru said as he stood by the sidelines, in the area sectioned off for the team. He wore the club uniform of a red shirt with white shorts, along with the rest of the team. "This is just… _ridiculous_. Is this really because of _one_ kid?"

"It's not just some kid we're talking about," Daisuke said, brimming with excitement. "This is _Ken Ichijouji_!"

Takeru tilted his head as he grinned lopsidedly at Daisuke before he glanced over to the rest of the Chosen. Everyone had been assembled, save for one conspicuously missing person. "Taichi, where's Hikari?"

"She was still sleeping when I left," Taichi said. "With how tired she's been lately, I wasn't about to wake her up." He let out a quiet chuckle. "Besides, Tailmon threatened to kick me out of the apartment for the rest of the day if I tried."

Takeru blinked before he chuckled. He could totally see Tailmon making good on her word. "Yeah, she needs as much sleep as she can get."

"I'm sure she'll be able to see it later," Sora said as she watched the television crews setting up along the sidelines. "And we can tell her everything, too."

Daisuke felt his enthusiasm diminish slightly. "Aw man, so Hikari-chan isn't going to see me take on Ichijouji?"

Takeru tilted his head to the side. "She might come later to see it."

Daisuke's eyes lit up with hope. "You think so?"

Takeru nodded, with a smile. "I'm sure she'll head right over as soon as she wakes up."

"Mom said she'd remind Hikari when she got up," Taichi said. "So she could show up at any time."

Takeru glanced to Taichi before turning his attention back to Daisuke. "See? So don't worry about it. Just focus on your big day, and make the most of playing against Ken Ichijouji~!"

At that moment, the sound of a horn cut off all further conversation. As the gathered spectators and participants turned their heads, a massive bus pulled up to the side of the road. It completely dwarfed their own school bus, deep navy in color with silver and gold trim. As it slowly came to a stop, the door flipped open wide. Within moments, the occupants began to leave the bus, single-file as they carried their soccer bags - it was the Tamachi soccer club. The boys all wore black pants, navy socks with silver and gold stripes at the top, and a navy shirt with a silver collar and gold stripes on the sleeves and around the waist.

"It's them!" Daisuke squeaked, practically vibrating in place from the excitement.

The crowd seemed to share Daisuke's excitement, gathering around the bus as they watched and waited. While it seemed like an eternity, in actuality the wait was only several moments long before Ken Ichijouji finally stepped off the bus, the last one to disembark.

The lavender-haired boy from the interview wasn't wearing his gray uniform, instead wearing the same outfit as his teammates. He spared the gathered gawkers a small smile before he proceeded after the others, walking slowly and carefully as he ventured down the cement steps to the soccer field.

Lights flashed as cameras went off, with reporters scurrying forward to jut their microphones in the boy's face. Ken Ichijouji didn't respond with anything more than a polite smile as he walked past, keeping his pace steady.

In the stands, many girls and even some guys squealed at the sight of their idol walking by, even if technically they were supposed to be cheering for the other team. It seemed that Ken Ichijouji transcended even school loyalty.

In the stands, Mimi had to cover her ears as the shrieks pierced into her. "Wow... With the way everyone is acting, you'd think Ken Ichijouji is the hottest pop idol in Japan!"

Yamato frowned as he watched the purple haired boy walk on to the field, joining his teammates at the sidelines. "No kidding."

"He does commercials, far as I've seen," Takeru said as he crossed his arms. "Besides playing soccer."

The coach for the Odaiba team glanced over to Daisuke before turning his attention back to the opposite team. He was silent for a moment before he proceeded to walk over, making his way towards the other coach.

The other coach looked up to see the man approaching and arched an eyebrow quizzically. It was too far away to tell what the coaches were saying to each other, especially with the screaming crowds, but the Tamachi coach's expression grew frosty enough that the Chosen could feel the cold all the way from the other side of the field.

However, before any of the Chosen Children could really process to the strange reaction, Ken Ichijouji approached the two coaches and began to speak as well. He had an easy-going smile on his face, which seemed to defrost his coach's demeanor somewhat, before he turned to the man from Odaiba. A few more words were exchanged before the purple-haired superstar turned to face the Odaiba team.

Ken Ichijouji walked across the field smoothly, his eyes drifting across the assembled members of the Odaiba soccer team before they settled distinctively on Daisuke. The young man continued to approach, eliminating the distance between them until he was suddenly directly in front of the stupefied boy. Ken continued to smile as he raised his hand, offering it towards the boy. "Daisuke Motomiya, I assume? My name is Ken Ichijouji... it's a pleasure to meet you."

Daisuke instantly felt lightheaded as heat rushed to his face. He stammered, words falling apart on their way from his stunned mind to his mouth. Realizing that he was ruining his first impression, he tried to force _something_ out. "_Hi I'm Ken Ichijouji, you're Daisuke Motomiya! Holy crap, why are you talking to me? You're my biggest fan! It's a million more times my pleasure! This is the most pleasure I've ever felt in my life! My you're hero_!"

The faint pink in Daisuke's cheeks turned into full blown red. "I-I mean _I'm_ Daisuke and _you're_ Ken and you're _my_ biggest fan, er, hero! I meant hero! I'm _your_ biggest fan and you give me lots of pleasure! I-I-I-_I mean nice to meet you I'm Daisuke_!"

Daisuke slapped his hands over his mouth to prevent more mortifying words from stumbling out when he realized he was only making things worse. A muffled, incoherent noise eked out between his fingers as he debated on whether he should just run, or find a hole to bury himself in.

Ken chuckled lightly as he continued to smile. "So your coach has told me. I hope I'll be able to live up to your expectations."

Daisuke felt his mortification grow at hearing Ken laugh, but at least his idol didn't _seem_ offended. Meekly, he nodded, not trusting himself to speak again.

Ken reached forward, this time outright taking one of Daisuke's hands and giving it a gentle shake. "Here's to a good game. Let's do our best, alright?"

Daisuke nodded vigorously, biting his lower lip to keep his mouth shut, as he shook Ken's hand with such force it was as though he was trying to pump water from a well.

"Hey," Takeru said as he approached, placing a hand on Daisuke's shoulder to steady him. "If it's not too much trouble, could Daisuke have an autograph?"

Ken blinked before his smile brightened. "Of course! I'll sign whatever you like."

Daisuke's eyes widened to saucers and he immediately released his mouth. "Y-you will? _Really_? Oh my gosh, I've gotta find something for you to sign!" He patted his pockets, only to remember that they were empty. He scrambled around, looking for something to use, but he left his bag in the locker room as Chibimon and the rest of the Digimon were hiding out in the trees for the game.

Taichi could see Daisuke rapidly approaching a meltdown and stifled a snicker as he drew in closer. "Hey, why don't you get Ken to sign your shirt?"

Daisuke blinked at Taichi. "Huh?"

Taichi grinned slyly as he jerked a thumb over his shoulder at where Yamato was seated in the bleachers. "Yeah. Yamato has fans asking him to sign their clothes all the time." He leaned in close, dropping his voice into a 'conspiratorial' tone that the others could still overhear. "Especially their underwear."

Daisuke sputtered, turning as red as a tomato. "_You want me to ask Ken Ichijouji to sign my underwear?_!"

Taichi blinked then scratched the back of his head. "Uh, no, actually. I was going to suggest your shirt. I was just teasing Yamato for having bras and panties thrown at him."

Daisuke could only utter a choked squeak, too mortified to manage anything else when he realized just how much he was humiliating himself in front of Ken.

Yamato arched an eyebrow. "You should probably think twice about mentioning other girls' underwear around Sora."

Taichi's eyes bugged out and he whipped around towards the bleachers. "W-wait a second! I didn't mean it like... it was just a..."

Sora made a show of rolling her eyes as she sat on the bleachers.

Ken, for what it was worth, seemed more amused than upset as he chuckled again. "To be honest, it wouldn't be the strangest thing I've been asked to sign." Reaching in to his soccer bag and pulled out a pen - it looked thick like a marker, clearly one meant for autographs. Clicking it open, he turned his attention back to Daisuke. "Where would you like me to sign? On the sleeve, the back, the collar?"

Daisuke snapped back to attention and stared at Ken and the pen before he looked wildly at his clothes for a nice blank spot where the signature would be unobstructed. He held out his shirt by the collar and tried to flatten in out as much as he could. "H-how about on the front? My number's on the back and the stripe on the sleeves will get in the way, but the front is empty, though it's red, but I'm not a pervert who's about to ask you to sign my shorts or underwear or anything like that, so don't worry about that!"

Ken smiled as he reached forward wordlessly. Carefully, he used the pen to write his name on the other boy's uniform. It took several moments but when he stopped, 'Ken Ichijouji' was clearly inscribed on the shirt with excellent penmanship. "There you go. I hope you enjoy it, Daisuke."

Daisuke couldn't stand still as he read Ken's name upside-down, excitement gushing forth. He was smiling so hard that his cheeks hurt. "Th-_thank you_! Thank you so much! I'll never wash this shirt again!"

Takeru imagined that Daisuke's mother would have something to say about that, but he kept the comment to himself. Instead, he smiled at the other Chosen. "Congratulations, Daisuke~!"

Daisuke laughed and flashed his grin at Takeru. "Thanks! Oh man, this is the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me!"

Ken smiled brightly at the other boy, tilting his head to the side. "You're very welcome, Daisuke."

Daisuke faltered, as the sound of his name coming out of his idol's mouth was too much for him to take. He fidgeted and fumbled over a response, but words failed him, leaving out random syllables tumbling out haphazardly.

At that moment, a loud voice pierced the air, disrupting the atmosphere. "Ichijouji!"

Ken paused and glanced back to see his coach waving him over. He nodded, then turned back to Daisuke. "Well, it looks like it's time. I look forward to playing against you. Good luck, Daisuke!" The purple haired boy smiled again before he turned and headed back towards his side of the field. As he walked, he passed by the Odaiba coach as he too returned to his team.

The Odaiba coach had a large grin on his face as he approached Daisuke, hands on his hips. "Well, Daisuke. Shall we show 'em what we're made of?"

"You bet!" Daisuke shouted before pumping his fists, bursting with excitement.

With a final shared smile between Daisuke and Takeru, the two followed their coach to join the rest of their teammates. The Chosen on the bleachers watched as Ken Ichijouji returned to his own team on the far side of the field.

"He seems like a really nice boy, doesn't he?" Sora asked as she placed her hands on her knees, propping herself up.

Iori made a non-committal noise as he sat beside her, then glanced over discreetly at Miyako.

"He's got a pristine reputation," Miyako said brightly. "He's a genius with patents out that have already made him and his family a fortune, yet he donates to charity!"

Yamato let out a low whistle as he crossed his arms, leaning back slightly. "It just feels way too surreal."

"Some people are just amazing like that," Miyako said, watching the opposing team's captain with interest. "They exceed the normal limitations we expect there to be and seem super human as a result, but Ichijouji proves if you work hard and put your mind to it, you can do anything."

Mimi leaned in close to Miyako with a knowing glint in her eye. "So you admire him do you, Miyako?"

A faint trace of heat appeared on Miyako's cheeks, though she tried to school her features and straighten up. "W-well, of course. Who wouldn't? Everyone should try to be like him!"

Mimi giggled behind her hand. "Oh really? That's all there is to it?"

Miyako refused to look at Mimi, though her cheeks warmed. "I have no idea what you're implying."

Mimi let out a cheerful hum. "I wonder~!"

Iori's face was decidedly neutral as he turned his attention back to the field. "They're about to start."

As the players got in to their positions, Daisuke took the front position on the field. It was no surprise to anyone that Ken Ichijouji took the same position on his own team, directly in front of Daisuke. Ken offered the other boy a smile as he took his place, relaxed compared to the tense and trembling Daisuke.

Daisuke could scarcely contain his excitement even as he tried valiantly to get his mind focused on the game. He couldn't get past the fact that he was facing off against the most famous prodigy in all of Japan, the boy who people believed might be able to claim the world cup. It was like a dream and the only way it could be better was if they were playing on the same team.

The referee blew his whistle, marking the start of the game. In that instant, no one was quite sure what had happened. Ken Ichijouji began to move, his foot contacting with the ball before he was gone from Daisuke's very eyes. Moving far faster than his opponent's ability to react, Ken moved swiftly around Daisuke before charging behind him. The other teammates gawked as the boy genius moved past them with great ease, like a cheetah sprinting across the savannah. Only Takeru seemed to have a sense of what was coming, but he couldn't do more than _prepare_ to move before Ken was past him, kicking the ball directly in to the goal while the goalkeeper stared at him with a slack jaw.

As the whistle sounded, Ken stepped back as he surveyed his victory, then turned to smile at his staring opponents.

"The... the hell is this kid...?" Takeru murmured, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

Daisuke was still beaming even though he knew he should've been unhappy that his team was already down behind a point. "That's Ken Ichijouji!"

It might have seemed like a lucky break, a moment of being off guard that wouldn't happen again. However, those familiar with Ken Ichijouji knew better. It wasn't luck or a golden opportunity taken advantage of, it was a prelude to the massacre.

Ken Ichijouji's movements were practically inhuman. At the very least, it as more than what a child should've been capable of. As the boy genius flew across the field, he showed the skill of a professional - though some would argue that even they would have great difficulty keeping up. Like a miniature hurricane, Ken blew across the field as if a force of nature. Whether it single-handedly scoring a goal or swiping the ball with ease, it was as if the players on the Odaiba team were nothing more than blades of grass on the field with no resistance to offer.

The Chosen Children could only gawk as Ken Ichijouji scored again and again, the crowd screaming with glee as the boy genius racked up the points. By the time he scored his tenth goal, most of the players on the Odaiba team had given up and weren't even attempting to stop their opponents.

Takeru scowled as he glanced at his teammates, many simply standing around and chatting. They had surrendered to their rather mortifying defeat at the hands of Ken Ichijouji. He turned to Daisuke, hoping that he wasn't taking the events badly. After all, it was his big moment, and he was losing so horribly that it was a surprise that the coaches didn't simply call and put an end the one-sided game.

Surprisingly, Daisuke's fire had not been extinguished in the slightest. His smile stretched from ear to ear as he relished the opportunity to face off against Ken Ichijouji. He never expected them to win, so being so far behind did nothing to ruin the fun he was having playing his very best.

Takeru felt rather relieved at Daisuke's enthusiasm, but it did little to change the current situation. "He's unbelievable, isn't he? He really _is_ a genius..."

"I know, isn't it great?" Daisuke asked as they jogged back to their positions.

"Yeah, but we're kind of getting slaughtered," Takeru said as he squatted down to stretch, then stood up and eyed their teammates. "Everyone else seems to have given up."

Daisuke's mirth was only briefly tainted by a roll of his eyes. "Forget them. Those guys don't know how to have a good time unless they're winning."

Takeru made a thoughtful noise at that. "True enough. Just playing against him is an experience." The Chosen of Hope paused when he spotted something out of the corner of his eyes. He turned before his eyes widened, focusing on the sight of someone _very_ familiar walking down the steps and attempting to make her way through the crowd - Hikari. "Ah! Hikari's here!"

Daisuke's eyes lit up as he quickly turned to catch sight of his friend. He grinned widely as he watched her take a seat next to Taichi and he felt his heart race as their eyes met. He stood a little more resolved as he returned his focus to the game. "Takeru, I need you near the net on the right for this play."

Takeru blinked before he nodded, his expression becoming serious. "You got it."

A twinkle of mischief appeared in Daisuke's eye as he lowered his voice. "But first, make sure you fake like you're making a play for the ball. He's favoring his right leg, so you'll come from his left. Got it?"

Takeru was startled by the observation, his eyes darting over to Ken Ichijouji. He hadn't noticed it, but he also hadn't been paying as close attention as Daisuke had apparently been. Rather than verbally responding, he flashed Daisuke a grin as he nodded before taking his position on the field.

When the referee blew the whistle, the scene unfolded just like before, with Ken taking charge of the ball almost immediately.

True to Daisuke's plan, Takeru promptly went after the boy genius as fast as he could. He made a specific point to come from Ken's left, and he felt a rush when he noticed precisely what Daisuke had mentioned - Ken was favoring his leg, ever so slightly. The Chosen of Hope couldn't help but feel a bit _proud_ of Daisuke. It was so subtle, and yet the boy had noticed it easily. People really didn't seem to give Daisuke nearly enough credit.

Ken noticed Takeru coming up on him and, as Takeru had hoped, shifted his stance to move the ball out of Takeru's reach. The genius turned his head to look at Takeru, offering him a pleasant smile even as he denied him his opportunity to steal the ball.

That moment of inattention was just what Daisuke had been waiting for. He noticed that tendency Ken had as well - to flash a smile at whoever got in his way. It left only a split second window to get in close before Ken noticed Daisuke coming at him from the right. On any other day, the genius boy could have swerved out of the way, but one leg slowed by weakness bought Daisuke just enough time to slide in with his foot extended and knock the ball away, directly where Takeru was headed.

Takeru felt a surge of satisfaction as the smile disappeared from Ken's face, transforming in to stunned shock. As Daisuke's foot impacted solidly with his own, Ken stumbled forward, losing his balance in a way completely unbefitting a genius. He only managed a step or two before his legs gave out beneath him, sending the great Ken Ichijouji to the ground.

The screams of protest from the crowd meant nothing to Takeru. No referee sounded a whistle, and that was the only sound that mattered. Ignoring the furious fans, he headed to his position, making it to the goal just in time for Daisuke to shoot the ball in his direction.

Ken Ichijouji did little more than sit on the field in shock, staring as Takeru went for the goal. The goalkeeper similarly reacted with surprise and confusion, as if he hadn't had to defend their goal in a _very_ long time. The poor boy was paralyzed with indecision as Takeru kicked the ball in his direction, and it flew right past in to the goal.

The referee blew his whistle, signaling the goal as the crowd launched in to a loud uproar around the field.

Daisuke bolted over to Takeru, wrapping his arms around his friend's midsection and foisting the blond into the air for all of two seconds before his arms gave out, but it did nothing to dampen his glee. "We did it!"

Takeru was similarly overcome with emotion, grinning from ear to ear. "That was _brilliant_, Daisuke!"

Although the Chosen Children cheered in the stands, the sentiment was not shared by the majority of the crowd. The boos and jeers were almost deafening from Ken's most vocal fans, some even throwing empty cups or snack foods towards the field.

Taichi jumped to his feet, pumping his arms high into the air. "Great job, Daisuke!"

"That was _awesome_, Takeru!" Yamato yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth to make his voice boom above the rest. Projecting was something he had learned for his band, and it certainly came in handy now.

Taichi opened his mouth to shout something else, when an empty soda can bounced off the back of his head. He yelped and crouched down covering where he was it, as Hikari and Sora immediately went to his sides.

"Oh my gawd, how can you cheer on that creep?" a girl higher up in the bleachers shouted. "Motomiya is the worst! The absolute worst! He attacked Ichijouji! He's the worst!"

Taichi shot a glare behind him at the girl and her friends who echoed her sentiments. "Girls who throw cans at people are worse than the worst!"

The retort was answered by a snack bag smacking into Taichi's face, sending an explosion of potato chips everywhere.

Yamato felt a rush of anger and whirled to face the girl, clenching his fists. "What the hell is _wrong_ with-!?" The words stopped immediately as his eyes settled on the girl, who had suddenly gone completely silent with a pale face. And it wasn't just her, but everyone else around her. All the jeering and snarls immediately stopped as an awkward silence descended, the other occupants of the bleachers looking vastly uncomfortable as they calmed down and slouched down in their seats as if they thought to disappear in to them entirely.

Yamato blinked, then turned his head to follow their eyes. His gaze settled on Iori, who had turned about to stare at the people behind them. Almost immediately, he was stricken by the sharp stare that came from such a quiet boy. It felt as though it was piercing his very soul, the unspoken judgment palpable. The fact that it wasn't even aimed at him didn't matter, the residual effect was enough. Despite the boy being many years his junior, he felt as though he were back in class and his teacher had just caught him misbehaving. Even his own anger quieted down inside of him, completely taken aback.

The group of Ken's fans nervously left their seats and moved to another, more crowded area rather than remain in the path of Iori's intense gaze.

Iori's gaze followed the group as they retreated, completely unyielding. Bystanders seemed to flinch as it passed by them, then relieved as it continued onward after the girls. Once the group had settled down elsewhere, only then did Iori's expression finally ease and he turned his attention back to the field.

Mimi stared at Iori in amazement. "Wow. That was impressive!"

Miyako smirked and placed a hand on Iori's shoulder. "Those eyes of yours should be classified as lethal weapons."

Iori blinked before he turned to Mimi and Miyako, his expression back to its more calm state. "I simply can't stand people behaving shamefully."

Taichi continued to rub the lump on the back of his head as Sora picked potato chips off him. "I'd say those girls were shame_less_."

Jou promptly pulled an ice pack out of his first-aid bag, extending it towards Taichi. "H-here..."

Taichi flashed his friend a grin as he gratefully accepted the icepack. "Thanks, man."

When Daisuke noticed Ken was still on the ground, his elation evaporated by a sense of panic. He bolted over to his idol's side and extended a hand. "Oh my gosh, are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Ken seemed to jerk out of the stupor he was in, staring up at Daisuke for a moment. Then, quickly, his smile returned to his face, though it appeared rather sheepish compared to his earlier ones. He reached up to accept Daisuke's hand, allowing the other boy to help him up. "No, no, I'm fine. That's what shin-guards are for, right?" The smile grew relaxed again as Ken was steadily on his feet once more. "I was simply... surprised. That was quite an amazing play, Daisuke."

Daisuke felt heat flood his cheeks, resulting in a goofy smile as he held Ken's hand longer than he needed to. "Th-thanks! You really mean it?"

"Absolutely," Ken said, brightly. "You caught me completely off-guard. I've played against full-grown professionals, and not even they managed that."

The warmth Daisuke felt turned into a roaring flame. He tried to think of an intelligent response, but all he could manage was some embarrassed giggles.

Takeru watched the scene, rather relieved. He was glad to see that Ken didn't harbor any ill-will towards Daisuke for his play, as it was always a good chance that a genius wouldn't appreciate being thwarted even once despite still winning the game by a large margin. "Good for you, Daisuke." he murmured, to himself.

And with the goal, the game ended on a remarkably high note. Despite the final score still showing a severe beat down, neither Daisuke nor Takeru cared. Their one goal was more than enough for them, and even their coach seemed thrilled with the development. The coach grinned from ear to ear as his team gathered around him, the older man focusing his attention on Daisuke and Takeru.

"That was some _fantastic_ teamwork there, boys," the coach said, nodding his approval.

"We still lost," one of the other boys on their team grumbled.

"Who cares?" Daisuke chuckled, energized despite the loss. "We scored against Ichijouji! That's practically _impossible_!"

"You mean _you_ scored because the ref wasn't looking at you attacking Ichijouji."

Daisuke looked around to see who made such an accusation, but he didn't see the one behind it. He faltered for a moment before bringing his smile back. "Hey, that's what shin guards are for, right? Besides, Ichijouji knows that's part of the game and wasn't mad about it. He even said I did great! Better than professionals!"

One of the boys rolled his eyes. "Yeah right."

"It was a legal play," Takeru said, his tone friendly despite a slight edge. "Besides, at least he did _something_ instead of standing around with a stupid look on his face like you all did."

"St-stupid?!" the boy sputtered, indignant.

Takeru turned his attention to the boy, still smiling. "_Unlike the rest of you_, Daisuke didn't give up and kept trying - and managed to score because of it. For all of the crap talk about Daisuke, he wasn't the one standing around _uselessly_ while Ken Ichijouji scored to his heart's content."

"We're not useless!" another teammate snapped. "You two are just cocky because you got _lucky_, that's all!"

"You _do_ realize that you were being recorded, right?" Takeru asked, lightly. "It's going to be all over the news."

The boy sputtered, but couldn't come up with a response. Judging by the wide-eyed look on his and others' faces, much of the team had not thought of that until just that moment.

"Alright, alright, there's no reason to squabble," the coach said, assumingly. "You all did your best, and-"

"Excuse me."

The coach stopped and looked up, the rest of the team turning to look behind them. They immediately jerked at the sight of none other than Ken Ichijouji approaching them. He came to a stop at the edge of the field, his expression pleasant.

"I apologize for interrupting, but may I speak with Daisuke?" Ken asked, respectfully.

Daisuke looked around at the others, as though expecting Ken meant another person with his first name. He pointed at himself before realizing how goofy he must have looked and tried to act more confident than he felt as he strode towards Ken. "Y-yeah! Heck yeah! Of course!"

Ken drew closer to Daisuke before he extended his hand, revealing a small card he held. "Here, I'd like you to have this."

Daisuke stared dumbly at the card as he accepted it. For a moment he could only stare in befuddlement until it sunk in that what he was seeing was a business card with a phone number neatly printed on it. "This is...?"

"It's my personal phone number, as well as my email address," Ken said, his voice dropping down low. "Please keep this to yourself, as it's not available to the public."

Daisuke stammered for a moment, blown away by such an amazing gift. "I... really? You want _me_ to have this? Seriously?"

Ken nodded before he offered the other boy a sheepish smile. "Though I'll understand if you don't accept. It _is_ a bit sudden..."

"I-I accept!" Daisuke blurted out, heart racing as he feared Ken might take the card back. "I'll email you every day! Count on it!"

Ken chuckled. "Thank you. I'll look forward to it." He gave the other boy a small wave and a smile to match before he turned and headed back to his team.

Takeru watched Ken leave before he approached Daisuke, lightly elbowing the boy in the side as he grinned. "Congratulations, Daisuke~!"

Daisuke barely noticed, his gaze entirely fixed on the card in his hands. He was practically quaking with excitement. "This... this is amazing!" He whirled around sharply on his heels to grab Takeru's shoulder. "Do you know what this means?! Ken Ichijouji, _the_ Ken Ichijouji likes me! _Me_!"

Takeru nodded as he continued to grin, happy for his friend. "You made a good impression. Looks like your hard work paid off."

Daisuke pumped his fist into the air and let out a crow of triumph. "This is the best day of my _life_!"

The rest of the Chosen Children were quick to join Daisuke and Takeru now that the game was over, offering their congratulations despite the loss. Though the rest of the team dispersed with an air of gloom, it did nothing to dampen the Chosen's spirits.

Taichi grabbed Daisuke in a headlock and delivered a playful noogie. "Nice job you guys!"

Daisuke sputtered and flailed a bit, laughing even as he tried to escape. "Thanks, Senpai!"

"He better stop hurting Daisuke, or I'll bite him again!" Chibimon growled as he watched the Chosen through the abandoned bleachers by the unused field, a distance away from the field Daisuke had just played on. It hadn't been the best place to watch the game from, but it was the only place where he didn't run the risk of being spotted - especially with the crowd thinning around them. No one else had wanted to use them, given the distance, but Digimon eyes were far better than human eyes; they had no trouble keeping an eye on the action.

Patamon gave Chibimon a pat on the head, as he and the rest of the Digimon shared the underside of the unused bleachers as their hiding spot for the game. "Don't worry, Taichi's just being friendly."

Hikari smiled as she approached the two boys. "I'm sorry your team lost, but I saw that goal you two made - it was amazing how you managed to steal the ball like that."

Daisuke turned bright red and rubbed the back of his head with a giggle. "Th-thanks, Hikari-chan!"

"That was pretty incredible," Yamato agreed, then paused and turned his head to watch as the bus holding the Tamachi team pulled away. With it gone, the rest of the crowd dispersed, no longer interested. "...I'm surprised no one tried to mob you, though."

Daisuke blinked at Yamato. "Mob us?"

Taichi jerked a thumb at the rapidly emptying bleachers. "Ichijouji's fans aren't too happy with you two scoring on their idol apparently."

Daisuke's eyes widened with understanding. "Oh! Crap, they would, wouldn't they? I know I'd be angry if anyone else got a goal against him."

Miyako smirked. "And yet you seem pretty happy."

Daisuke eyed Miyako, his cheeks tinting again. "That's different!"

"It's not any of their business, anyway," Takeru said as he eyed the thinning crowd. "Ichijouji was perfectly fine with it."

"Right!" Daisuke said quickly before a grin broke out on his face. "Hikari-chan! Ichijouji gave me his phone number and email!" He thrust the card out so the Chosen of Light could see it. "Isn't that _awesome_?"

Hikari jerked back as the card was suddenly in her face, but smiled all the same. "That's wonderful, Dai-"

"Are you serious?" Miyako blurted out before snatching away the card to gawk at it.

"Hey!" Daisuke shouted, scowling. "Give that back!"

Much to Daisuke's surprise, Miyako did so after looking the card over front to back.

"Wow, Motomiya," Miyako said. "You must've left a real impression on him."

Daisuke felt off-balance by the remark, suspecting some sort of sarcasm within it, only the tone had come off as genuine. "Well... I..."

"Ichijouji _never_ hangs out socially," Miyako said thoughtfully. "He's always way too busy. I guess he must actually see you as a real rival because you two managed to score a goal on him." She glanced over at Takeru. "Did you get one too, Takeshi?"

Takeru shook his head before he offered Miyako a crooked grin. "That's fine, though. Daisuke was the one who got the ball away from him. Without that, I never would've scored."

"True," Miyako said. "That _was_ pretty impressive."

Daisuke eyed Miyako, uncertain. "Why're you being so nice to me all of a sudden, Inoe?"

Miyako blinked at Daisuke. "What do you mean 'all of a sudden'? I've been nothing _but_ nice even when you've been a jerk!"

A scowl marred Daisuke's face. "Hey! You're the one who got upset that my skull wasn't cracked open!"

Miyako stared at Daisuke as though he had suddenly grown a second head. "What? When?"

"When that bucket almost hit me!" Daisuke snapped.

"I was calling you an ambulance!" Miyako shouted as she threw her arms out to her sides.

A sharp whistle interrupted the two, causing both of them to whirl about and stare at the source - Iori. The boy had his fingers in his mouth from generating the piercing sound, which had successfully pierced the conversation. With their attention now on them, Iori lowered his hand as he offered a serene smile to the two. "Regardless, shall we go? Chibimon is quite desperate to congratulate Daisuke as well."

"Oh yeah!" Daisuke said. "I gotta go show Chibimon!" Without another word he raced towards the unoccupied bleachers to show his partner his brand new treasure.

Hikari smiled as she watched Daisuke hurry off then turned to Takeru, dropping her voice to a whisper. "How are you doing?"

Takeru watched Daisuke run off before he let out a soft sigh. He'd need to thank Iori later for stopping the fight, when neither Daisuke nor Miyako were around. Besides, there was something a bit more pressing at the moment. "...I'm fine. No better, no worse. ...How about you?"

Hikari took a moment to consider the question seriously, a trace of sadness coming to her eyes. "I'm sleeping a lot better now... but I'm worried we might be running out of time to save Keiko."

"Huh?" Sora blinked before she furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

Hikari hesitated for a moment as all eyes turned towards her, making her feel suddenly uncertain about her gut instinct. "Well... whenever I see Keiko in my dreams... it's always in this... mirror." She faltered for a moment, knowing how strange she sounded, but pushed herself to keep going. "Last night, the mirror was partially broken."

"Yeah, that's not ominous _at all_," Takeru muttered as he crossed his arms. "I wonder, did something happen...?"

"I think I had something to do with this," Hikari said as she held up her Digivice, which displayed the clear image of an egg on its small screen.

Koshiro jerked. "A Digimental?"

Takeru leaned over to stare at the screen, his eyes widening. "It's... I don't recognize it. It's not one of the ones we got earlier... so when...?"

"It's Keiko's Digimental," Hikari said quietly.

The collective outburst from the other Chosen was instant, all of them reacting with varying degrees of shock. They all began talking at once, ranging from repeating what Hikari had said to questioning her about where she had gotten such a thing. Only Takeru remained quiet as he stared at Hikari, before he frowned. He gave a quick glance around them, noting the stares they were getting from the people still lingering about.

"...Let's talk about this somewhere else," Takeru said. "Like Koshiro's house, or Taichi's."

Hikari nodded. "Right."

"Ah, excuse me," Iori said as he glanced at the Chosen. "Please go on ahead and I'll meet you there. I need to make a stop on the way."

Yamato blinked. "A stop?"

"There's an anime store along the way," Iori said, glancing at Miyako out of the corner of his eye. "I'd like to pick up a purchase."

Miyako's cheeks pinked as she suddenly found the clouds absolutely riveting.

"Well, if it's along the way, then why don't we all go together?" Sora asked, with a smile.

"That's a good idea," Mimi said cheerfully. "I've been meaning to pick up the latest Pokémon DVD anyway."

Miyako snapped her head around to stare at Mimi with wide eyes. "You _like_ Pokémon?"

Mimi smiled and nodded. "I think it's a really cute series! It sort of reminds me of us, honestly, but the stuff that happens is more cheerful and all about friendship, and everyone in the world gets to have their own partner."

Koshiro let out a wry chuckle. "I'm not sure everyone in the world having their own Digimon partner would be a very good idea."

"Oh man, can you imagine?" Taichi asked. "World War 3 - my Digimon is better than your Digimon!"

Yamato crossed his arms. "We're having enough trouble with just _one_ tyrant with a Digimon!"

Takeru felt a shiver up his spine, but he tried to dismiss it with a small laugh. "Well, at least we know that's not possible."

"Is that so?" Iori asked, looking at the other Chosen as he began walking off the field. Following his lead, the other Chosen Children made their way off the field to the sidewalk. "How do you know?"

"I suppose in theory it's not _impossible_ for the DigiGods to make more Chosen Children," Koshiro admitted, "But there's only 15 crests so somehow I don't think there will be anymore."

"...I see," Iori said, thoughtfully. "So there is a Crest for each Chosen. Or is it that there's a Chosen for each Crest?"

Mimi blinked. "Isn't that the same thing?"

"No," Iori replied, with a shake of his head. "If there is a Crest for each Chosen, it means a new Crest is created each time a Chosen is... chosen."

Koshiro scratched the back of his head as he considered that. "Given what we've learned about the Crests so far, I doubt that it's possible to make more."

"And considering that mural at the temple, there definitely seems to be some kind of pattern," Takeru said as he crossed his arms. "Three sets of five."

"Four Guard Crests for every God Crest," Koshiro said.

Daisuke caught up with the group with his duffle bag slung over his shoulders. "What's this about the Crests?"

"Oh, it's just a question of which came first," Takeru said as he smiled at Daisuke. "And if there can be more Chosen. All things considered, it looks like fifteen is the magic number."

"I just wonder why they're arranged like that," Sora said as she let out a heavy sigh, crossing her arms. "Does it mean anything? Or was it random?"

"We'll probably have to ask the DigiGods themselves if we want to know the answer," Koshiro said thoughtfully.

Taichi noticed that Jou was lagging behind the group and slowed his pace to match the older boy. "Hey."

Jou lifted his head slightly, his eyes not quite meeting Taichi's. "Yes?"

Taichi flashed Jou a grin despite the other boy's gloom. "Chicken butt."

Jou stopped abruptly at that, his eyes widening as he stared at Taichi. "C-c-c-chicken-!? What!?"

Taichi couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Hah! I knew that'd get a reaction out of you!"

Jou blinked as he reached up to adjust his glasses, looking rather flustered. "H-huh...?"

Taichi delivered a gentle punch to Jou's shoulder and winked. "Come on, since we're heading to get DVDs anyway, I'll treat you to one."A moment later, Taichi's face contorted slightly as he considered his actual funds verses the price of DVDs. "Er, wait, actually that's probably too expensive." He flashed Jou a sheepish smile. "How about I treat you to an ice cream cone?"

Jou flinched lightly at the punch before he stared at Taichi, opening his mouth to respond even as the words failed to come.

Hikari noticed the two boys conversing and wore an innocent expression. "Big Brother, I thought you were saving your allowance for the date you have with Sora this Saturday."

Both Sora's and Taichi's face seemed to turn red at the comment, the two uttering the same protest at the same time, blurting out. "I-it's not a date!" Realizing what they did, the two glanced at each other before quickly looking away, their faces blushing deeply.

Jou glanced at the other Chosen for several minutes before an awkward smile graced his face, just in time for an equally awkward chuckle to escape him. He reached up to push back his glasses so that he could wipe at his eyes, removing any suspicious moisture that might have built up. "Chicken butt... hah..."

Despite being embarrassed, Taichi couldn't help but smile.

The walk to the anime store was relatively quick, time passing quickly as the Chosen talked amongst themselves and enjoyed each other's company. By the time they arrived, they nearly walked right by it when Iori suddenly stopped, drawing their attention back to the store.

"Ah, here we are," Iori said as he looked do the door, then back at the Chosen. "Please excuse me, I'll return shortly."

Takeru watched as Iori headed in to the store, then turned to Miyako. "I wouldn't have expected Iori to like anime."

"Considering how hard he tries to act like a grown up, I would've thought he'd think anime was too childish," Yamato agreed as he looked at the bright posters lining the windows, each advertising different animations in an attempt to lure fans inside.

Miyako fiddled with a collapsible screwdriver from her pocket as she carefully kept her expression casual. "Yeah, well..."

Mimi lightly slapped Yamato's shoulder, though her smile let him know she was being playful. "Anime isn't childish, it's fun!" With that she entered the store while humming the Pokémon theme song.

Miyako watched Mimi disappear inside the store, her poker face dropping due to her intense conflicting emotions.

Yamato watched Mimi go inside, chuckling. "True enough."

The rest of the Chosen loitered about, either inside the store or just outside. Soon enough, Mimi returned to them with a bag, containing a DVD and a plush doll - it looked like a hairless pink cat. As she spent the next several minutes talking to Sora about her new toy, the others awaited Iori's return. Thankfully, it wasn't that much longer until Iori finally left the store himself, a large bag in tow.

Iori smiled to the other Chosen as he carried the bag. "Thank you for waiting."

"What's in the bag?" Takeru asked, looking down at it. It was large and square, barely fitting in the bag itself. Images of girls in sailor uniforms peeked out among the plastic. "Is that..."

"It's the limited edition DVD set of the entire first season of 'Moonlight Magic'," Iori said, lifting up the bag. "It's a live-action magical girl show that was very popular several years ago - and still is. It finally got renewed for a second season, so they released this special edition as a promotion."

"I remember that!" Mimi squealed. "It was so cute and fun!"

Miyako failed to fight away the blush from her cheeks as she looked at Mimi, but words failed to come.

"It's awfully big for a DVD set," Takeru said, eying the box.

"That's because it includes a figurine," Iori said as he reached in to the bag, pulling out the box. "It's of the main character for the first season. She's since left the show due to contract disagreements and was replaced for the second season, but they still made a figure of her."

Hikari's reaction to the image of the figurine was to gasp, her eyes widening. Although the figurine was dressed in a sparkling dress full of color and wearing a smile while brandishing a magic wand, the familiar pale face contrasted with pitch black hair and vivid red eyes was unmistakable. "That's Keiko!"

Taichi blinked and finally paid attention to the conversation, pulling himself away from where he and Daisuke had been discussing soccer. "What? Keiko? Where?"

Takeru's eyes were similarly focused on the figure, his jaw dropping at the sight. Despite the dress and the smile, there was absolutely no question of it - it was the girl from the Dark World. "It is... it _is_ Keiko! That's Keiko!"

Iori blinked, then looked down at the figure. "Ah? You mean... Keiko Makura?"

Miyako looked between Takeru and Hikari, dumbfounded. "Are you serious?"

Koshiro moved in to get a closer look at the figure and the front picture on the DVD where the stars of the show were prominently displayed. "Are you sure this is her?"

"Definitely," Takeru muttered as he stared at the figure, then turned to look at Hikari. "Absolutely."

Hikari nodded, her eyes never straying far from the figure.

"Awesome!" Daisuke cheered. "We found another Chosen Child!"

Koshiro turned to Iori. "How much do you know about her? Do you have any idea what her address is, or...?"

"_I_ wouldn't know, but-" Iori said as he turned to eye Miyako.

"I can look it up!" Miyako blurted out. "I'm sure there's a website about her that has the information. I can have all the info right away!"

Koshiro nodded, an eager light coming to his eyes. "It shouldn't be that hard to get information about her if she's a celebrity. Maybe her family will know something about what happened to her."

"Let's hurry to Taichi's," Takeru said, still looking at Hikari. "We can look up more on Keiko and Hikari can tell us how she got Keiko's Digimental. ...The Digimental of Darkness."

* * *

><p>As the limo pulled to a stop in front of the apartment complex that housed the Ichijouji residence, the chauffeur hurried out to open the side door for its occupant. Ken slipped out of the luxurious vehicle, sparing his chauffeur the barest of glances before he walked away from the limo, heading towards the building. The chauffeur didn't seem to mind, or even expect any acknowledgement, as he proceeded back in to the limo and drove off just as Ken arrived at his front steps.<p>

Ken's movements were stiff and unnatural, his leg throbbing in a pain that he refused to let dictate his behavior. He ignored the instinct to baby his injured leg, instead using it equally with the other as he made his way up the steps. Blood began to seep in to his soccer socks, very faint against the black so that it appeared as little more than a bit of moisture. The bandages binding his ankle had long since reaching their limit.

Ken opened the front door and entered his apartment, not announcing himself in any way. He continued his stiff walk, even as his ankle screamed at him. He passed by the kitchen and stopped to eye his mother, who was busily washing off the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. He stood there silently for several moments, saying nothing.

Ken's mother hummed as she closed the dishwasher, then turned about. She let out a small squeak as she saw her son standing in the entryway. As the initial shock wore off, she let out a small sigh as she placed her hand over her chest. "Oh, Ken. You startled me!"

Ken said nothing, staring at his mother with an unreadable expression.

"Welcome home," Ken's mother said as she dried her hands on a dishtowel. "It's such a lovely day, isn't it?"

Ken's expression didn't change. "You didn't come to my soccer game."

"Oh? Was that today?" Ken's mother asked, with an air of innocence, before she turned around and began busying herself with wiping down the counters with her dishtowel. "I was so busy, you know how it is. I had shopping to do."

Ken narrowed his eyes before he proceeded past the kitchen, down the hallway.

"Oh, that's right!" Ken's mother said as she peered around the hallway to watch her son retreat to his room. "Everyone's been talking about that big interview you did for the news! Why didn't you tell me? Your father and I would have loved to go and watch!"

"I had shopping to do." Ken replied simply, before he slammed the bedroom door behind him.


End file.
